Expert System RFP.doc

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

SOFTWARE FOR AN EXPERT SYSTEM (ES)

FOR

THE DEPARTMENT OF MANUFACTURING

PETPRO INDUSTRIES

ManufacturiManufacturingng

INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION TO BIDDERS

MANDATORY AND RATED REQUIREMENTS OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL are categorized as either "Mandatory" or "Rated" and are identified as follows:

1. Mandatory Requirements

Where a requirement of this RFP is mandatory it will be identified specifically with the word “Mandatory”, an “(M)”, or with a statement covering a section of this document. The words, “shall”, “must”, “essential”, “will” and “required” in this RFP, are to be interpreted as mandatory requirements.

Bidders are advised to address each requirement in sufficient depth to permit a complete analysis and assessment by the Evaluation Team. Proposals must comply with every mandatory requirement. If a proposal does not comply with a mandatory requirement, the proposal will be considered NON-COMPLIANT and will receive no further consideration.

2. Rated requirements

Where a requirement of this RFP is rated it will be identified specifically with the word "Rated", an "(R)", or with a statement covering a section. It is imperative that these requirements be addressed in sufficient depth in the proposal to permit a complete analysis and assessment by the Evaluation Team evaluators. A proposal that does not obtain the mandatory minimum pass score for a rated requirement will be considered NON-COMPLIANT and will receive no further consideration.

3. Bid Receiving/Return Address and Enquiries (M) Bid Receiving/Return AddressBids are to be delivered to the address specified below before the closing date and time of the Request for Proposal.

Bid Receiving UnitDepartment of Manufacturing1 Sprott Rd.Munchin, SaskatchewanG3D-6C2Canada

Tel: 1-800-4-PETPRO Fax: 1-800-PETPRO2

4. Enquiries - Solicitation Stage (M)

All enquiries concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Authority identified below as early as possible within the bidding

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period. Enquiries must be received no less than ten (10) calendar days prior to the bid closing date to allow sufficient time to provide a response. Enquiries received after that time shall not be answered prior to the bid closing date.

Department of Manufacturing, PetPro Industries2 Sprott RdMunchin, Saskatchewan

Contracting Authority: J.TejedaE-mail Address: [email protected]

Telephone: (306) 235-8941Fax: (306) 894-9466

5. Request For Proposal

Requests [commonly referred to as a Request for Proposal (RFP)] should be developed and submitted to the Department of Manufacturing setting out the alternative means by which several technical, performance, time and other goals and objectives may be best met, having regard to stated mandatory requirements. The head of Manufacturing will consider entering into a contract for the implementation of the most acceptable proposal which will be determined having regard to the evaluation factors set out in this RFP.

6. Financial Proposal (M)

Bidders must submit their Price proposal in accordance with the following:

a. Pricing Basis

i. For Canadian based bidders, prices must be firm with Canadian customs duties and excise taxes as applicable INCLUDED; Goods and Services Tax, or Harmonized Sales Tax EXCLUDED; and transportation and packaging charges INCLUDED

ii. For foreign-based bidders, prices must be firm and EXCLUDE Canadian customs duties, excise taxes and Goods and Services Tax and INCLUDE transportation and packaging charges. CANADIAN CUSTOMS DUTIES AND EXCISE TAXES PAYABLE BY THE CONSIGNEE WILL BE ADDED, FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY, TO THE PRICES SUBMITTED BY FOREIGN BASED SUPPLIERS, therefore, Bidders are to indicate under a separate line item the amount of such taxes if available.

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iii. The total estimated amount of GST or HST is to be shown separately if applicable.

b. Supplier Contact

Bidders are to provide the name and telephone numbers of representatives of the Bidder at the management level who can be contacted concerning technical or administrative problems, under any resulting contract.

CONTACT NAME TITLE TELEPHONE E-MAIL ADDRESS

PROJECT

ADMINISTRATIVE

7. Evaluation And Selection Methodology

a. Evaluation TeamAn Evaluation Team composed of representatives from Senior Managers Group, a Technology Representative and Manufacturing Functional Area will evaluate the proposals on behalf of Petpro. Contact any or all references supplied by the Bidder.

b. Evaluation Process And Contractor Selection

All Proposals shall be examined in accordance with the evaluation criteria and following the process outlined in this section. The Evaluation Process and Contractor Selection is subdivided into 4 phases:

Phase 1: The evaluation of the Mandatory requirements Phase 2: The evaluation of the Rated Requirements and the Marking SchemePhase 3: The evaluation of the Proposed Basis of PaymentPhase 4: The Contractor Selection

Phase 1: Evaluation of compliance to the MANDATORY Requirement

Proposals not complying with the MANDATORY clauses shall receive no further consideration.

Phase 2 - Evaluation of Compliance to RATED REQUIREMENTS and the MARKING SCHEME

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Bidders’ proposals that are compliant with the mandatory requirements will be evaluated and scored against the rated requirements.

Phase 3 - Evaluation of the Proposed Basis of Payment

All bids are evaluated in Canadian currency. Cost will be evaluated on the total requirement, including the applicable options for additional software licenses, maintenance and support service period for up to five (5) years, plus Professional costs and Training costs. Proposals not meeting the Mandatory requirements of the Proposed Basis of Payment will receive no further consideration.

c. Calculation of Total Assessed Cost

The Total Assessed Cost is the arithmetic sum of the following:

Licensed Software Costs (including optional purchases)Training Costs (including optional purchases)Five (5) Years of Maintenance and Support Services (including four (4) option years)

Phase 4 - Contractor Selection

Selection of Successful Bidder

The compliant bidder with the highest combined rating technical merit and price (Best Value) shall be selected as the preferred supplier to implement the Project.

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GENERAL STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

Summary of Requirement

Our company is in search of a comprehensive real-time expert system to Capture tacit knowledge from manufacturing experts before they leave the company. We want to capture the knowledge of the best operations experts, and to intelligently combine that knowledge with real-time data archival information and even business policies. Our goal is to achieve higher levels of efficiency, availability, responsiveness, consistency and quality. The winning solution should transform PetPro’s complex real-time data into useful information. It should also monitor for potential problems before they adversely impact operations.

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MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

Any responses not meeting all of these requirements will be excluded from further consideration.

Mandatory Requirements

1. Bidders must provide a copy of their software and relevant documentation for evaluation purposes to validate specific functions, features, performance and capabilities of the proposed software.

2. Access to server must be through Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer (Version 5.0 or greater) as well as via a non-web based browser provided application simultaneously, on the same workstation. Both must be Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) and follow Microsoft Windows published programming standards that have been established starting with Windows 95 (or greater) in respect to the GUI.

3. The application must be intuitive and easy to use for all categories of end-users (i.e. senior managers, functional managers and operational staff).

4. Software must be able to transform tacit knowledge into a useable expert system for manufacturing. The software must be able to emulate the reasoning of human experts as they assess, diagnose and respond to unusual operating situations or seek to optimise operations.

5. The application must integrate and support SAP/ERP, PetPro’s databases, and real-time systems

6. Provide a schematic drawing of the proposed architecture, and include the following for each category of users

Identify all servers, desktops, and the software required for each;

- There must be one desktop identified for each of the categories of users. The architecture must take into consideration the volume of users as provided;

- Identify all components of your architecture, including network components;

- Include capacity requirements for each specified product;

- Identify how the different components communicate with each other;

- Identify the varying architecture(s) as the numbers of users increases (350 users, 500 users, 750 users 2,500 users (scalability).

7. The application must have a GUI front-end interface which operates with the

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following client operating systems/environments:

- Windows NT 4 Workstation

- Windows 2000 Professional or greater

- Windows 98

- Windows ME

8. Software must be able operate with the following client desktop configuration as a minimum:

- Intel Pentium II 400MHZ MMX CPU W/128K Cache;

- 128 MB;

- Graphics adapter with a minimum of 4 MB VRAM;

- TBITS Bilingual Keyboard;

- Microsoft PS/2 Mouse;

- 2GB Hard disk 200 MB available disk space (minimum).

- Please describe footprint requirements of client system i.e. number of bytes required for disk/memory, etc. for the Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer (Version 5.0 or greater) configuration as well as for the non-web browser 32 bit provided application configuration.

9. The software must operate with the following network protocol: Microsoft TCP/IP (32-bit) stack.

10. The application must operate with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 relational database management system.

11. Data sharing/access requirements on-line and batch methods supported must be ANSI Standard SQL or ODBC.

12. The application must operate in the following architecture:

- Client server environment;

- Physical 3-tier environment;

13. The expert system must use fuzzy logic (or multi-value logic) to express inexactness

14. Software must be able to create generic rules, procedures, formulas and relationships that apply across entire classes of objects.

15. Software must have the ability to interface to Microsoft SQL Server 2000 from Windows NT 4 server and/or Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

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16. The expert system must include an explanation subsystem that explains the system’s actions. The explanation can range from how the final or intermediate solutions were arrived at to justifying the need for additional data.

17. The expert system must include a knowledge acquisition subsystem, which collects knowledge needed to solve problems and build a knowledge base that will identify bottlenecks in operational processes.

18. Software must provide a comprehensive security architecture that will ensure that confidentiality, integrity and availability of information contained on the system is preserved while ensuring that access to the information will be accessible to and restricted to authorised users or groups of users.

19. Software must be integrated with our current Enterprise Resource Planning system, SAP ERP.

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RATED REQUIREMENTS

Section One – User Interface Requirements

1. Application should be configurable and provide prototypes based on end-user requirements.

2. Error and reject messages provide/suggest a course of action to be taken by the user.

3. The application provides navigation that has a common look and feel throughout the application module(s) / component(s), i.e. consistent application of buttons, navigation tools and messages.

4. The application provides the ability for user-defined preferences such as display environment, common defaults and other usability features.

5. The application provides on line help features:

Navigational aids Hints and tips Tutorial Context sensitive Guidance through query process Hyperlinks to related topics

6. The software allows for the electronic forwarding of reports to recipients with adequate security level on either a one-off, or automated basis (i.e. auto-forwarding reports to backup personnel while away from the office)

Section Two – Technology Requirements

7. Software has the ability to customize the product’s processes and functions without compromising upgrade ability (able to detect changes due to customization and accept or reject enhancements or customizations accordingly).

8. The application ensures that output of a batch process is checked against control records (e.g.: batch totals, record/block counts check sum, hash totals, sequence checks, etc). Provide details.

Section Three - Functional Requirements

9. Proven ability to provide (at minimum) an expert system solution, as evidenced by at least one client reference where the vendor has used the proposed solution to capture expert knowledge to optimize manufacturing implementations. Details provided should include the number of users per client implementation, and degree of sophistication and complexity. Provide a point of contact at the executive level for this client reference.

10. Proven ability, as evidenced by at least one client reference, to integrate with an ERP system such as SAP.

11. Training program is customized for PetPro users.

12. Software has the ability, inherent in the product, to do trend analysis and forecast reporting

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using past, current and future data.

13. Software has the ability, inherent in the product to monitor equipment performance and potential failure before it occurs.

14. Output formats - Software has the ability to allow reports to be saved from the workstation in a variety of print ready formats, such as PDF, Excel (spreadsheet), Word (document), HTML and plain text.

Section Four - Security Requirements

15. The application has access control mechanisms, which enforce access control, based on user identity and is granted based upon predefined authorizations. Provide details.

Section Five Vendor Capability Requirements

16. Number of SAP clients where your software has been implemented to date. Provide a summary of client, project description, project team size, and project duration information. Vendors are asked to provide at least two reference site installations. Contacts should be at the executive management level.

17. Describe what number and percentage of your consulting staff has experience in implementing an expert system in an SAP production site.

18. Based on the information provided in this proposal, estimate the maximum number of person days required to install the software successfully. Breakdown estimate by expertise required (i.e. DBA, system administrator, product expert, etc.)

19. Do you allow customers potential access to technical design documentation on the software, if required for integration with other solutions?

20. How long has you company been in business in its current entity?

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MARKING SCHEMEMANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

GENSYM CORPORATION

Mandatory Requirements Meets?

Yes/No


YES


YES


YES


YES

5. The application must integrate and support SAP/ERP, PetPro’s databases, and real-time systems. YES

6. Provide a schematic drawing of the proposed architecture, and include the following for each category of users. Identify all servers, desktops, and the software required for each;


- Identify all components of your architecture, including network components;- Include capacity requirements for each specified product;- Identify how the different components communicate with each other;- Identify the varying architecture(s) as the numbers of users increases (350 users, 500 users, 750 users 2,500

users (scalability).

YES

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7. The application must have a GUI front-end interface which operates with the following client operating systems/environments:

- Windows NT 4 Workstation- Windows 2000 Professional or greater- Windows 98- Windows ME

YES



- 128 MB;





Please describe footprint requirements of client system i.e. number of bytes required for disk/memory, etc. for the Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer (Version 5.0 or greater) configuration as well as for the non-web browser 32 bit provided application configuration.

YES

9. The software must operate with the following network protocol: Microsoft TCP/IP (32-bit) stack. YES

10. The application must operate with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 relational database management system. YES

11. Data sharing/access requirements on-line and batch methods supported must be ANSI Standard SQL or ODBC. YES

12. The application must operate in the following architecture:- Client server environment;- Physical 3-tier environment;

YES

13. The expert system must use fuzzy logic (or multi-value logic) to express inexactness. YES

14.Software must be able to create generic rules, procedures, formulas and relationships that apply across entire classes of objects.

YES

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YES


YES


YES


YES

19. Software must be integrated with our current Enterprise Resource Planning system, SAP ERP. YES

ALL MANADATORY REQUIREMENTS MET? YES

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MARKING SCHEMERATED REQUIREMENTSGENSYM CORPORATION

Rated Requirements Rating = 1 Rating = 2

Section One – User Interface Requirements Partially Meets Meets


Minimum capacity to provide prototypes Rating = 2

Application configurable and provides prototypes based on end-user requirements


Standard error message format (i.e. “Contact Support”).

Rating = 2

Error message explains the probable method of resolving the error.


Basic Windows standards Rating = 2

Same as Rating = 1, plus visual navigation tree that is consistent from one module to the next.


Allows user to change fonts, colours, zooming in/out

Rating = 2

Same as Rating = 1, plus increased customization (e.g. common defaults).


- Navigational aids- Hints and tips- Tutorial

The application supports at least 1 feature on the list.

Rating = 2

The application supports at least 3 features on the list.

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- Context sensitive- Guidance through query process- Hyperlinks to related topics


Allows for electronic forwarding based on a static distribution list. The list is part of the report.

Rating = 2

A distribution list that can be dynamic. The list is separate and can be applied to many reports.


Section Two – Technology Requirements Partially Meets Meets


Always requires some programmatic changes.

Rating = 2

May sometimes require minimal programmatic changes.


Functionality must be programmed. Rating = 2

Meets all functionality in delivered product.


Section Three - Functional Requirements Partially Meets Meets

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Provides expert system solution reference. Rating = 2

Rating = 1, plus proven ability to provide expert system solution in a manufacturing implementation. Provides performance improvement statistics, i.e. increased product output by X%.


Ability to integrate with any ERP and provides client reference.

Rating = 2

Ability to integrate with SAP’s ERP and provides client reference.


Provides a generic training program. Rating = 2

Provides a customized training program for PetPro. Includes PetPro business processes.

12. Software has the ability, inherent in the product, to do trend analysis and forecast reporting using past, current and future data.

Can provide current data only. Rating = 2

Can provide past, current and future data.


Can monitor equipment performance only. Rating = 2

Can monitor equipment performance and advise of potential failure in equipment prior to it occurring.

14. Output formats - Software has the ability to allow reports to be saved from the workstation in a variety of print ready formats, such as PDF, Excel (spreadsheet), Word (document), HTML and plain text.

Can save and print plain text and HTML. Rating = 2

Rating = 1, plus can save and print in Excel and Word.

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N/A Rating = 2

Yes



Partially Meets Meets


Vendor provides fewer than two reference sites.

Rating = 2

Vendor has two solid references.


5-10% Rating = 2

10-20%

18. Based on the information provided in this proposal, estimate the maximum number of person days required to install the software successfully. Breakdown estimate by expertise required (i.e. DBA, system administrator, product expert, etc.)

Greater than 10 person days. Rating = 2

Between 5-10 person days.

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One or two API’s are documented. Rating = 2

Access is provided to the full functionality through documented API’s.


14 Years

TOTAL RATED REQUIREMENTS = 40

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL21. Licensed Software Costs (including optional

purchases) Site licence of less than 100 users individual user product

$50,000 to $100,000

22. Training Costs (including optional purchases)$800 per diem or $100 per participant

23. Five (5) Years of Maintenance and Support Services (including four (4) option years) 22% of total site license

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MARKING SCHEMEMANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

EXACT SOFTWARE NORTH AMERICA

Mandatory Requirements Meets?

Yes/No


YES


YES


YES


YES

5. The application must integrate and support SAP/ERP, PetPro’s databases, and real-time systems. YES

6. Provide a schematic drawing of the proposed architecture, and include the following for each category of users. Identify all servers, desktops, and the software required for each;


- Identify all components of your architecture, including network components;- Include capacity requirements for each specified product;- Identify how the different components communicate with each other;- Identify the varying architecture(s) as the numbers of users increases (350 users, 500 users, 750 users 2,500

users (scalability).

YES

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7. The application must have a GUI front-end interface which operates with the following client operating systems/environments:

- Windows NT 4 Workstation- Windows 2000 Professional or greater- Windows 98- Windows ME

YES



- 128 MB;





Please describe footprint requirements of client system i.e. number of bytes required for disk/memory, etc. for the Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer (Version 5.0 or greater) configuration as well as for the non-web browser 32 bit provided application configuration.

YES

9. The software must operate with the following network protocol: Microsoft TCP/IP (32-bit) stack. YES

10. The application must operate with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 relational database management system. YES

11. Data sharing/access requirements on-line and batch methods supported must be ANSI Standard SQL or ODBC. YES

12. The application must operate in the following architecture:- Client server environment;- Physical 3-tier environment;

YES

13. The expert system must use fuzzy logic (or multi-value logic) to express inexactness. YES

14.Software must be able to create generic rules, procedures, formulas and relationships that apply across entire classes of objects.

YES

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YES


YES


YES


YES

19. Software must be integrated with our current Enterprise Resource Planning system, SAP ERP. YES

ALL MANADATORY REQUIREMENTS MET? YES

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MARKING SCHEMERATED REQUIREMENTS

EXACT SOFTWARE NORTH AMERICA


Section One – User Interface Requirements Partially Meets Meets


Minimum capacity to provide prototypes Rating=2

Application configurable and provides prototypes based on end-user requirements


Standard error message format (i.e. “Contact Support”).

Rating=2

Error message explains the probable method of resolving the error.


Basic Windows standards Rating=2

Same as Rating = 1, plus visual navigation tree that is consistent from one module to the next.


Allows user to change fonts, colours, zooming in/out

Rating=2

Same as Rating = 1, plus increased customization (e.g. common defaults).


- Navigational aids- Hints and tips- Tutorial

The application supports at least 1 feature on the list.

Rating=2

The application supports at least 3 features on the list.

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- Context sensitive- Guidance through query process- Hyperlinks to related topics


Allows for electronic forwarding based on a static distribution list. The list is part of the report.

Rating=2

A distribution list that can be dynamic. The list is separate and can be applied to many reports.


Section Two – Technology Requirements Partially Meets Meets


Always requires some programmatic changes.

Rating=2

May sometimes require minimal programmatic changes.


Functionality must be programmed. Rating=2

Meets all functionality in delivered product.

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Section Three - Functional Requirements Partially Meets Meets


Rating=1

Provides expert system solution reference.

Rating = 1, plus proven ability to provide expert system solution in a manufacturing implementation. Provides performance improvement statistics, i.e. increased product output by X%.


Ability to integrate with any ERP and provides client reference.

Rating=2

Ability to integrate with SAP’s ERP and provides client reference.


Rating=1

Provides a generic training program.

Provides a customized training program for PetPro. Includes PetPro business processes.

12. Software has the ability, inherent in the product, to do trend analysis and forecast reporting using past, current and future data.

Rating=1

Can provide current data only.

Can provide past, current and future data.


Rating=1

Can monitor equipment performance only.

Can monitor equipment performance and advise of potential failure in equipment prior to it occurring.

14. Output formats - Software has the ability to allow reports to be saved from the workstation in a variety of print ready formats, such as PDF,

Can save and print plain text and HTML. Rating=2

Rating = 1, plus can save and print in

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Excel (spreadsheet), Word (document), HTML and plain text.

Excel and Word.




N/A Yes



Partially Meets Meets


Vendor provides fewer than two reference sites.

Rating=2

Vendor has two solid references.


Rating=1

5-10%

10-20%

18. Based on the information provided in this proposal, estimate the maximum number of person days required to install the software

Rating=1

Greater than 10 person days.

Between 5-10 person days.

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successfully. Breakdown estimate by expertise required (i.e. DBA, system administrator, product expert, etc.)


One or two API’s are documented. Rating=2

Access is provided to the full functionality through documented API’s.


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TOTAL RATED REQUIREMENTS = 34

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL21. Licensed Software Costs (including optional

purchases) Site licence of less than 100 users individual user product

$ 50,000 to $ 100,000

22. Training Costs (including optional purchases)$1,000 per diem or $ 200 per participant

23.Five (5) Years of Maintenance and Support Services (including four (4) option years) 20% of total site license

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RESULTS MANDATORY RATED FINANCIAL

GENSYM CORPORATION MET 40 +2% maintenance fee

EXACT SOFTWARE NORTH AMERICA MET 34 +200 per diem

+100 per participant

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