Supply and delivery of itix and ptix ticket material rolls for PRASA printronix printers

Fraud/Theft Reporting: PRASA JOC - Johannesburg: 011 013 0052, Pretoria: 011 013 0055.

Evaluation will be based on compliance with all technical specifications, including: dimensional tolerances (roll diameter, width, core size), thermal coating standards (ANSI 3.11), smoothness (≤75 Sheffield units), top coating, and pre-printing requirements (unique numbering, train image, red line, back message). Packing, labeling, and delivery sequence (40% Pretoria, 60% Shosholoza Junction) must be adhered to. Submission of two test rolls for approval and specification of core return compensation in the quotation are mandatory.

Scope: Supply and delivery of thermal ticket material in continuous rolls for Portable Ticketing Devices (PITix) at Metrorail.

Material Requirements:

• Type: Durable Thermal Paper Roll.
• Thickness: 100mic (standard per Tappi T-411).
• Thermal Coating: Must meet or exceed ANSI 3.11 specifications.
• Smoothness: Maximum 75 Sheffield units.
• Top Coating: Required on the thermo-sensitive surface.
• Color: White (unless otherwise specified).

Roll Specifications:

• External Diameter: 40 mm ± 0.1 mm.
• Width: 57 mm ± 0.1 mm (measured optically).
• Inner Core Diameter: 13 mm ± 0.5 mm.
• Core Material: Synthetic, non-deformable under normal transport/storage.
• Construction: Continuous, without joints, splices, or breaks. Wound evenly and tightly to prevent telescoping.
• Winding Direction: Clockwise when viewed from the top, with printing face/thermal coating outward. Security printing must be readable from the outer end when held upwards.

Pre-printing Requirements:

• Front of Roll:
• Unique 12-digit sequential number (20mm long, spaced 18mm apart).
• Train image (8mm height) on the left side.
• Roll number (4.5mm height) on the right side.
• 44mm gap between train image and roll number.
• 5mm wide red line for 500mm from the end, centered on the roll.
• Back of Roll:
• Full-length printed message (paragraphs 8mm long, 4mm gaps between paragraphs).
• Current message: "This ticket is issued by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa subject to the Conditions of Carriage and is not transferable. Please report any fraudulent activity or Theft/Vandalism to the PRASA JOC 011 013 0052 Johannesburg 011 013 0055 Pretoria."
• Message may be updated before order placement.

Packing and Labeling:

• Rolls: Packed upright, laid flat, individually shrink-wrapped in moisture-proof material.
• Cartons: Corrugated cardboard, containing 144 rolls each.
• Labeling: Each carton must display on at least two opposite sides:
• Contents.
• Quantity.
• Sequence numbering (with start/end numbers and barcodes).
• Batch Number.
• Order Number.
• All rolls in a container must be identical except for roll numbers.

Delivery:

• Gauteng North (Pretoria Station): 40% of order.
• Gauteng South (Shosholoza Junction): 60% of order.
• Delivery must be in sequence as per roll numbering.
• Supplier must pack boxes in sequence in PRASA storerooms.

Approval and Testing:

• All artwork and printing must be approved by the requester before production.
• Two test rolls meeting all requirements must be submitted for testing.

Supplier Responsibilities:

• Responsible for material until accepted by Metrorail and an acceptance certificate is issued.
• Must specify the length of material (meterage) per roll in the quotation.

Suppliers must specify in their quotation the compensation amount to be paid to PRASA Rail per returned core.

Evaluation will be based on:

• Ability to supply continuous roll material meeting all physical and quality specifications (e.g., dimensions, thickness, mass, defect-free).
• Capacity to produce ticket material with security features (e.g., metallic/fluorescent inks, anti-counterfeit measures like coin-reactive ink or Oyster Cover ink).
• Compliance with BS3983/ISO 534 standards for thickness and mass.
• Experience in supplying materials compatible with thermal/impact printers (e.g., Printronix SL/T4M).
• Logistical capability to deliver to Gauteng locations (40% to Pretoria Station, 60% to Shosholoza Junction) in specified sequences and quantities.
• Willingness to provide 6 sample rolls for pre-verification and adjust designs (e.g., Conditions of Sale text, security background colors) as requested.
• Financial and operational stability to fulfill large-scale orders.

Core requirements:

• Material must be supplied in continuous rolls without joints, splices, or breaks, wound on a central circular core.
• Core: inner diameter 76mm, thickness 5mm, external diameter 86mm, width 86.5mm. Must be cardboard and resistant to deformation.
• Material must not be attached to the core with sticky tape.

Roll and ticket dimensions:

• External diameter of fully wound roll: 203mm ±1mm.
• Length of material per roll: 100 meters.
• Roll width: 86.5mm. Ticket width: 54mm ±0.4mm, length: 86.5mm ±0.7mm.
• Material thickness: 0.250mm ±0.025mm (measured per BS3983/ISO 534). Mass: 220 g/m² ±10 g/m².
• A 3mm black line must be printed across the width every 54mm.
• Winding direction: clockwise when viewed from the top, with the reverse side (conditions of transport) facing inward and printing surface outward.
• A 5mm red line must be printed in the middle of the roll for 500mm from the end.

Material quality:

• Free of defects: holes, conductive particles, dust, cracks, wrinkles, creases, or translucent spots that could damage printers or optical sensors.
• Must not generate static electricity or retain residual magnetism.
• Must be cleanly cuttable without dust or burring.
• Printing must last at least 5 weeks without fading.
• Must support thermal and impact printing (predominantly thermal).

Printing and security features:

• Printing surface must support high-resolution thermal printing (6 dots/mm) and absorb thermal transfer ink without smearing.
• Printed characters must not be erasable without damaging the surface.
• Security background required: word 'METRORAIL' printed at 45° angle (portrait orientation) in repeating, non-aligned pattern. Must use one of 6 suggested colors (e.g., neon or metallic inks) and change regularly.
• Reverse side must print 'Conditions of Sale' text (minimum 2mm clearance from edges) and accommodate a 35mm x 25mm color advert.
• Regional name and roll numbering must be printed at 90° on the right-hand side (portrait orientation).
• Additional security features for comment/quote: fixed offset metallic inks, coin-reactive ink, fluorescent inks for train logo, copy protection via Oyster Cover ink.

Packing and delivery:

• Rolls must be shrink-wrapped individually, packed upright in corrugated cardboard containers (3 rolls per box).
• Boxes must be labeled on at least two opposite sides with: contents, quantity, sequence numbering (including barcode), batch number, and order number.
• All rolls in a container must be identical except for roll number.
• Delivery split: 40% to Gauteng North (Pretoria Station), 60% to Gauteng South (Shosholoza Junction), in sequence.
• Supplier must pack boxes in sequence in PRASA storerooms.
• 6 sample rolls must be supplied for end-user verification and quality control before full order. Signed acceptance document required.