This Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) specification, F: SW-7, outlines performance and acceptance requirements for plastic films used to package United States currency. It supersedes F: SW-6A and details various film types for bundles, bricks, and Cash-Paks, including their dimensions, winding, and color. The document references government and non-government standards for materials, safety, and environmental compliance, such as OSHA regulations, EPA guidelines for recovered materials, and ASTM test methods. Key requirements include film unwind, slip, cutting, sealing, shrinkage, odor, opacity, transparency, tamper evidence, impact and tear resistance, and physical dimensions. The specification also covers quality assurance provisions, inspection, testing, and detailed labeling requirements for rolls and pallets to ensure materials meet BEP's operational and safety standards.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing's Attachment A1 outlines a Free Fall Drop Test for currency Cash-Pak packages. The test specifies apparatus requirements, including the ability to assure free unobstructed falls, accurate height control, damage-free lifting, instantaneous release, and a rigid impact surface. The procedure involves multiple drops from three feet onto different package faces, sides, edges, and corners, followed by two drops onto a pallet from three and eight feet respectively. The success criteria state that packages must not sustain tears exceeding one inch in length, or two or more tears of one-half inch or more. Additionally, all package seals must remain intact. An acceptable success rate is 75% or greater, with a desired rate of 90% or greater.
This Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) specification, L: VAB-1A Revision 2, outlines the requirements for vendor-affixed barcode labels on materials and supplies shipped to the BEP. It details performance and acceptance criteria for these labels, which are supplementary to other material specifications. The document mandates specific human-readable information, including product description, PO number, part number, quantity, serial/lot number, and weight, all of which must also be present in Code 39 barcode format. The specification covers barcode dimensions, orientation, height, quiet zones, print contrast, and quality. It also defines the content, spacing, and size of the human-readable interpretation (HRI). Furthermore, it specifies label location (three per package, strategically placed), orientation flexibility, and material requirements, emphasizing tamper-evident pressure-sensitive stock. The BEP recommends thermal transfer printing for these labels to ensure compliance.
The Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has issued Solicitation 2031ZA26Q00001, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for currency packaging films. This is a small business set-aside, single-award, Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with five one-year ordering periods from February 4, 2026, to February 3, 2031. The contract has a minimum guarantee of $51,601.15 and a maximum aggregate of $7,483,269.75. The BEP requires various currency packaging films, including Bundle Wrap, Brick Wrap, and Cash Pak in different colors, for its facilities in Washington D.C. and Fort Worth, TX. Quotes are due by December 10, 2025, at 3:30 P.M. ET, and questions must be submitted by December 3, 2025, at 12:00 P.M. ET. Deliveries will be to multiple BEP locations, with specific scheduling and vehicle restrictions for the Washington D.C. facility. Contractors must comply with strict packaging, safety, and security requirements, including personnel background checks and non-disclosure agreements, and adhere to FAR and DTAR clauses.