Copper Plated Zinc Penny Planchettes

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

MANUFACTURING CIRCULATED, UNCIRCULATED AND PROOF COPPER-PLATED-ZINC PLANCHETTES

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION, REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) or PROPOSAL (RFP). This Sources Sought notice is for informational and planning purposes, only. This announcement is strictly intended for market research and shall not be construed as a solicitation, obligation or commitment by the Government.

Please note, in accordance with 31 U.S.C. §5136, no provisions of law governing procurement or public contracts are applicable to the procurement of goods or services necessary for carrying out the United States Mint programs and operations. 

The United States Mint, Manufacturing Procurement, Washington, DC is issuing this sources sought notice as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support this requirement for Circulating and Un-circulated copper-plated zinc (CPZ) one-cent planchets to be delivered to the Philadelphia and Denver Mints.  Also included in this requirement is Proof CPZ one-cent planchets for the San Francisco Mint.  CPZ planchets shall be in accordance with the requirements and specifications set forth herein

The raw material acquired must produce coins that are compatible with existing coinage in circulation within the vending, banking, commerce as well as the general public.  The raw material breaks down into two separate alloys. The one-cent alloy composed of 2.5% Copper (Cu) and 97.5% zinc (Zn). 

General specifications for United States Mint coinage strip:

Plated Blank Dimensions of STANDARD CPZ PLANCHETS

                        Weight (individual blank)                2.50 grams ± 0.16 grams

                        Plated Diameter                               18.75 mm ± 0.05 mm

                        Plated Gauge                                   1.255 mm ± 0.043 mm

                                                                                    (Preferred tolerance ± 0.030 mm)

                        Plating Thickness                            0.008 mm + 0.017 mm/-0.003 mm

                        Upset Configuration                        Same as pre-plated (C.2.1)

                        Upset Edge Thickness                    1.461 mm ± 0.076 mm

                        Overall Thickness                            1.626 mm maximum

                        “A” Dimension on Upset                 0.64 mm ± 0.05 mm

                        “B” Dimension on Upset                 1.27 mm + 0.13 mm/-0.00 mm

     Estimated volume requirements:                                       

Denomination

Annual Volume

Pieces

Weekly Volume

Kilogram/Pieces

1-cent

2.5 – 5 Billion

40 – 260 M

In addition, the United States Mint generates scrap.  The contractor must be able to recycle and use returned scrap from the coining process as feed stock for future coinage strip.

The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 3314.

If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information:   1) Organization name, address, e-mail address, Web site address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

The government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to provide services consistent in scope and scale with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

Submission Instructions: Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by December 31, 2024.   All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to james.bacinski@usmint.treas.gov & amalee.elayyan@usmint.treas.gov.