19 December 2013

Questions and Answers for:
General Printing and/or Payroll Printing and Dispatch Services

  1. In the overview of the requirement for General Print and Despatch for the ABS it states ‘Approx. 170,000 copies over 2 years’. The prices to be quoted, though only asks for a price for 10,000 ABS. Can you advise why only 10,000 have been asked for please?

A:We have asked to quote for 10,000 because there is an aim to move from hard copy prints to digital online pdfs. Therefore in 2014 there will likely be a much larger print run than in 2015 so we would like to know the price on a smaller scale.

  1. Will LPFA commit to a bulk run of outer envelopes for use on the ABS throughout the year?

A:Yeswe could commit to a bulk run of out envelopes for ABS however 2015 is likely to be smaller than 2014 as stated above.

  1. Will LPFA commit to a bulk print run of ABS or are they currently printed on a job by job basis? If so, can you provide a snap-shot of the mailings and volumes during 2013?

A:They are currently printed on a job by job basis per agency both active and deferred. Numbers are stated below:

Active ABS / No.
LPFA / 13990
Bexley / 3963
Ealing / 4916
Newham / 4907
Westminster / 2707
Fire / Not complete for 2013 but 5339 in 2012
Herts AA / 11003
Herts CC / 14714
Herts Fire / 624
Deferred ABS / No.
LPFA / 23088
Bexley / 3236
Ealing / 5719
Newham / 5380
Westminster / 4747
Fire / Not complete for 2013 but 542 in 2012
Herts CC / 21505
Herts Fire / 91
  1. In the bullet points of the spec for Payroll printing it states that the number of print files will be 2 per month – 48p.a. - should this be 4 per month i.e. one per Agency and LPFA? Please clarifyand explain if possible the correlation between the no. of print files and print runs per month.

A:It will be 2 per contact. One is for UK payslips and the other for overseas payslips.

  1. The requirements for PDFs – do you require a pdf per record or one batched pdf of all records?
    A:One PDF per record
  2. Is the design of the ABS the same for all agencies and LPFA?

A:We are aiming to streamline the ABS stationery across all agencies and LPFA however there will still be a need for individual agency/LPFA logos.

  1. What format will the data be supplied – will it be the same from each agency
    and LPFA?
    A:The data will be supplied in a password protected excel file. Yes, in the same format for each agency and LPFA.

Questions on specifications for print

  1. Annual Benefit Statements (ABS)

Requirements for print and dispatch: Approx. 170,000 copies over two years.

Assumption 1 run of £85k per year?

A:No. Each agency and LPFA has different times for distribution. There is also an aim to move from hard copy prints to digital online pdfs. Therefore in 2014 there will be a much larger print run than in 2015 hence the reason why we have asked to quote for a smaller scale of 10,000 copies

How many colours printed each side of sheet? Is material uncoated or coated? Simplex or duplex personalised? Is personalisation text in black only?
A:We don’t know the amount of colours as yet.Material is uncoated and duplex personalised. The personalisation text is in black only.

Print white C5 windowed envelopes with LPFA return address and PPI.
Please confirm colours and material for envelope?
A:White 100 gm

Insert each statement into C5 envelope.
Will each customer always receive only one statement sheet or multiple sheets per customer?
A:Each customer will receive one statement sheet

Postage
Please confirm the service level required?

A:Our preferred method of postage is the use of DSA

Please confirm what data processing is required?
A:Data will be supplied in a password protected excel file

Different agencies have differing times for distribution.

Does this contradict our assumption of one annual run?

a:There is more than one annual run as each agency and LPFA have different times for distribution. They are currently printed on a job by job basis per agency both active and deferred. Numbers are stated in the table above (question 3).

Requirements for digital pdf:Approx. 75,000 copies over two years
How many separate runs should we allow for?

A: 6-7

  1. Annual Report

Requirements for print and dispatch:Approx. 35,000 copies each year Assumption 1 run of 35k?

A: Yes

As this is relating to Pension members assume 100% of file to be mailed?

A: Yes

Envelope overprinted with name/address, LPFA return address and PPI.
Please confirm colours and material for envelope. To Inkjet personalise?

A:White 100gsm – yes inkjet to personalise
Postage
Please confirm the service level required?
A:Our preferred method of postage is the use of DSA

Please confirm what data processing is required?
A:Data will be supplied in a password protected excel file

  1. Newsletters

Requirements for print and dispatch for agencies:Approx. 45,000 copies each year
Assumption 1 run of 45k?

A:No there are currently 4 runs

Insert into C5 white non windowed envelopes - Envelope overprinted with name/ address, LPFA return address and PPI
Please confirm colours and material for envelope. To Inkjet personalise?
A:No there are currently 4 runs

Postage
Please confirm the service level required and if the data will be supplied
pre-sorted if a mail sort type product requested?

A:Our preferred method of postage is the use of DSA. No will not be supplied mail sorted.

Requirements for print and dispatch of newsletter for LPFA:Approx. 35,000 copies per year

Assume 100% mailing not required please confirm?

A:It is looking likely that this will be a 2pp A4 personalised letter rather than newsletter.

Requirements for print and dispatch of letter for LPFA:Approx. 35,000 copies per year
Assumption 1 run of 35k?
A:Yes

2pp, A4, colour, letter headed, merged with data file provided

How many colours printed each side of sheet? Is material uncoated or coated and weight? Simplex or Duplex personalised? Is personalisation text in black only?
A:We don’t know the amount of colours as yet.Material is uncoated and duplex personalised. The personalisation text is in black only

Print white DL windowed envelopes with LPFA return address and PPI
Please confirm colours and material for envelope.

A:White 100gsm – yes inkjet to personalise

Insert each letter into DL envelope
Is 100% mailing required?
A:Yes

Postage
Please confirm the service level required.
A:Our preferred method of postage is the use of DSA.

Please confirm what data processing is required?
A:Data will be supplied in a password protected excel file

Contract:

Please note that it was anticipated that the draft contract would be issued as part of this tender process. However due to unforeseen delay this will now be discussed with the successful bidder and therefore any submission is “subject to contract”. Revised wording has been included in a new version of the tender submission form to reflect this point. At the end of this process a draft contract will be issued by LPFA to the successful bidder(s).

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