Solicitation.docx

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION 1333ND19QNB640442

Flow Cytometer

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6- Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested, and a separate written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued under the authority of FAR Part 13.5, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotations (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2019-02, effective 06/05/2019. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. This acquisition will be competed as Brand Name Only.

Flow cytometry is a technique that allows for the analysis of single bacterial cells while offering speed and accuracy over traditional characterization techniques. In addition to quantification of individual cells, flow cytometry can offer information on the complexity of each cell by measuring different cell properties once tagged to specific fluorophores. Thus, it allows for the enquire of the physiological state of each cell and how it relates to the entire population. Research shows that the CytoFlex LX model, manufactured by Beckman Coulter is the only instrument that meets these specifications.

The Biomaterials Group of the Material Measurement Laboratory contributes to the NIST Microbial Metrology program to address challenges in microbial cell measurements via development of new methodologies, protocols, and reference materials, and to investigate fundamental biological process pertinent to engineering biology and other microbial applications. To address current questions involving microbial measurements, traditional methods are no longer adequate.

Therefore, the group requires a flow cytometer designed for detecting small particles, as bacterial cells are too small for conventional flow cytometers. The instrument shall have five excitation lasers to cover the necessary fluorescence excitation wavelengths. The instrument shall operate using a peristaltic pump to support measurements of relatively small sample volumes and volumetric cell counting. The instrument shall have a photodiode detector instead of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. Photodiodes have higher and equivalent quantum efficiency across the UV-visible wavelength range. The instrument shall allow sample acquisition in two formats: from a tube for single measurements and from 96-well plates to allow higher throughput interrogations. The instrument must also be amenable to automation and allow for physical add-on features.

The period of performance for the line items shall be in accordance with the following:

BASE Line Item 0001: Delivery of One (1) Beckman Coulter, CytoFlex Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications in accordance with the Statement of Requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, Installation, Training, and Warranty.

OPTIONAL Line Item 0002: Delivery of One (1) Beckman Coulter, CytoFlex Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications in accordance with the Statement of Requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, and Warranty.

OPTIONAL Line Item 0003: Delivery of One (1) Beckman Coulter, CytoFlex Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications in accordance with the Statement of Requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, and Warranty.

Delivery:

The base CytoFlex Cytometer must be delivered within 90 days of award. The optional instruments shall be delivered within 90 days of exercising the option. The items shall be shipped F.O.B Destination to:

The National Institute for Standards and Technology Building 301, Room B129 Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

F.O.B DESTINATION MEANS: The contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery.

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD

The Government intents to award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible quoter whose quotation, conforming to the solicitation, is the lowest priced, technically acceptable quotation.

Technically acceptable means that the Contractor provides a Flow Cytometer, meeting the specifications in the statement of requirements document. If a Contractor does not indicate how its proposed holder meets a certain minimum requirement, NIST will determine that it does not.

Price will be evaluated to determine that the total price is consistent with the technical portion of the quotation and is a fair and reasonable overall price to the Government.

REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS

All Contractors shall submit the following:

1. For the purpose of evaluation of Technical Acceptability: Documentation including system requirements that confirms the Contractor has demonstrated the ability to deliver the requirements of the Flow Cytometer, specified in the statement of requirements.

2. Contractor’s shall provide a Firm-Fixed price quotation for the Beckman Coulter Flow Cytometer, to complete the specifications of the statement of requirements document. Pricing shall be as follows:

CLIN 0001, Firm-Fixed Price (BASE LINE ITEM): Delivery of the Beckman Coulter Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications, in accordance with the requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, Installation, Training, and Warranty. $__________________total firm-fixed price.

CLIN 0002, Firm-Fixed Price (OPTIONAL LINE ITEM): Delivery of the Beckman Coulter Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications, in accordance with the requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, Installation, Training, and Warranty. $__________________total firm-fixed price.

CLIN 0003, Firm-Fixed Price (OPTIONAL LINE ITEM): Delivery of the Beckman Coulter Flow Cytometer, meeting all specifications, in accordance with the requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination shipping, Installation, Training, and Warranty. $__________________total firm-fixed price.

3. A complete version of all required solicitation provisions (see attached provisions/clauses document – required submissions highlighted in blue).

4. If the Contractor objects to any of the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation, the contractor shall state, “The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:” [Contractor shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s)].

It is the sole responsibility of the contractor to identify in their quote any exceptions to the terms and conditions of the solicitation. If the contractor does not include such a statement, the submission of a quotation in response to this solicitation will be regarded as the Contractor’s acceptance of the Government’s terms and conditions for inclusion into the resultant purchase order.

5. Quoters shall provide an active DUNS # for the System for Award Management (SAM) registration. Quoters must have an active registration at www.SAM.Gov to be considered for award.

Please note that this procurement IS NOT being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If a contractor submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price. However, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the contractor’s FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation;

DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

E-mail quotations are required. All quotations must be submitted via e-mail to Tish Walker, Contract Specialist at latish.walker@nist.gov Submission must be received not later than 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 31, 2019. A quotation shall be considered received when it is received in the electronic inbox of Tish Walker, not later than the date and time identified herein.

All questions regarding this notice must be submitted via e-mail to latish.walker@nist.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 24, 2019. Questions submitted after this date may not be addressed by the Government prior to the quotation submission deadline.

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES:

The clauses and provisions applicable to this solicitation can be found under Applicable Clauses & Provisions. The full text of a FAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at https://farsite.hill.af.mil or www.acquisition.gov/far. The full text of a CAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at https://farsite.hill.af.mil or http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/acquistion_management/policy/.

ATTACHMENTS:

The following attachments apply to this solicitation:

1. Statement of Requirements

2. Applicable Clauses & Provisions