AQUARIUM QUESTIONS-ANSWERS RFQ 25-004181.pdf

RFQ 25-004181: QUESTIONS/ANSWERS FROM SITE VISIT MARCH 4, and MARCH 6 and EMAIL

QUESTIONS

1. Is the water source on the 1st floor west labs a filtered or ROI or is it plain tap water?

-The water source in the 1st floor west end lab nook is Reverse Osmosis/Deionized water (RODI.)

-The tap provides roughly 1-2 gallons per minute depending on the source pressure at the time.

-Occasionally due to service on the building purification systems or pipe repairs - the tap will provide no water. Advanced notice for these events may not be given and may last generally for 1 to 2 days before RODI water is restored.

-The frequency of cutoff events is inconsistent.

-The contractor is responsible for keeping this access panel on the 1st Floor, Southwest labs locked when not in use.

-Currently, RODI water is used exclusively for all of the saltwater aquariums, as well as the freshwater Phlebotomy aquarium on the 1st FL, Magnuson BLDG, as well as for some service on the 8th floor and 2nd floor aquariums.

2. Where do you park?

-The only available parking is in the Bldg 10 Clinical Center parking garage. A parking permit will be provided.

-Space availability is dependent on volume of patients/visitors in the CC at any given time. Early AM, or afterhours service is recommended.

3. Where do you dump water?

-All water is disposed of in the service sink closet closest to 1st FL-BLDG 10 CRC Admissions Office.

This closet may or may not contain other janitorial equipment that requires removal on any given day. Access to this closet is via key card.

-The service closets in the Magnuson Building (Phlebotomy/Radiology/Pediatrics/8th floor/13th floor/2nd Floor aquariums) are all hard keyed and generally locked, access will granted., -Bathroom sinks and toilets are not suitable for water disposal in large volumes.

-Clinic sinks are off limits.

4. Can Tap water be used?

-The CC - tap water in the old building (Phlebotomy/Radiology/Pediatrics/8th floor/13th floor/2nd Floor aquariums) cannot be used for high volume use.

If tap water is to be used, high volume tap water can be sourced from the service closet closest to 1st FL Admissions Office and also used for water disposal.

5. Water for saltwater aquariums?

The current saltwater aquariums are serviced exclusively with RODI water, as tap water is specifically not compatible with live coral in the reef aquariums, and less compatible with long term success/coloration/health of the saltwater fish and invertebrates in general.

Some tap water is used with the freshwater aquariums with discretion.

4. For the saltwater tanks do you allow the water to sit overnight? How do you handle that?

-Replacement saltwater is mixed and allowed adequate time to dissolve, but generally not overnight.

5. Do you enter campus through the commercial entrance or the visitor entrance?

Contractors with NIH badges can access the campus through two checkpoint entrances on Rockville Pike and two entrances on Old Georgetown Rd.

Unbadged contractors/visitors must access through the commercial or visitor checkpoints.

Badge issuance at NIH discretion involves background check/etc.

6. How often do you utilize the B2 loading dock? How do you navigate the use of the loading dock, parking, unloading, leaving equipment etc?

The loading dock can be used for loading/unloading materials; providing this does not interfere with existing or scheduled loading dock activity.

Large dropoffs and third party deliveries require scheduling and arrangement with the loading dock office.

Unattended vehicles cannot remain at or near the loading dock or parked in the greater loading dock area.

The CC is not responsible for materials left unattended on the loading dock or within the CC.

Contractors should not leave materials unattended.

7. Can you send a picture of the mechanical closet and what is stored there?

The storage closet currently provided by the CC is at the discretion of facilities and is not guaranteed long term.

The contractor may be required to relocate or remove stored equipment if the space is reassigned for other use.

CC facilities staff occasionally accesses and performs work in the closet, as it contains conduits from adjoining spaces.

Facilities can access the space to perform work or address issues from surrounding spaces (water leak on floor above, etc.)

The closet can store some service equipment.

8. Can you send the specs of the pediatrics tank and cabinet?

The Pediatric aquarium will be a 72x18x24" glass aquarium (135 gallons) with rear overflow chamber. 2x1.5" drains/1x1" return bulkhead holes.

Black painted cabinet and canopy.

Cabinet 30" height.

Canopy 18" height.

Standard swing opening hinged doors.

1 end panel access in cabinet.

9. What is the source for the RODI? Do you know who maintains this system?

The CC produces RODI water for use in laboratory research via large scale RODI purification units operated and maintained by CC facilities and third-party contractors.

The aquarium contractor does not have access to those units.

The aquarium contractor should test the RODI water supply upon each usage to ensure purity

The aquarium contractor is supplied RODI water via a tap inside a locked access panel in a 1st floor west end lab nook.

The tap provides roughly 1-2 gallons per minute depending on the source pressure at the time.

Occasionally due to service on the building purification systems or pipe repairs - the tap will provide no water. Advanced notice for these events, which last generally for a day or so before RODI water is restored.

The frequency of these cutoff events is inconsistent - some years this happens roughly once or more per month, and others less frequently.

The contractor is responsible for keeping this access panel locked when not in use.

10. Would the current incumbent collaborate with the new vendor if another contractor wins the bid on the contract?

-The incumbent is expected to work through a successful transition plan for a new award.

11. Do you plan on removing all the equipment and fish if Aquaterra does not win the re-compete?

Prospective offerors should structure quotes with the understanding that they will be providing and installing all filtration/components/plumbing/livestock/display interior materials/etc. except for the existing aquariums/cabinets/canopies as outlined in the scope.

12. Will there be time allotted for a transition period?

Yes, two months will be given for any tanks that need to be rebuilt. Professional signs will need to be displayed while the tanks are being reestablished.

13. Preferred communication during contract.

If emergency: please communicate directly with the staff reporting the incident and follow with an email to CO and COR with the problem and resolution.

Other issues: Email COR

14. Is there a specific entrance that should be used:

No, but limiting the movement through high patient traffic areas is preferred. The government acknowledges this cannot be eliminated but request an effort for low visibility in patient areas when possible.

15. Is there access to Wi-Fi?

Yes

16. Will background checks be needed for badging?

Yes, at cost to the government

17. Are resumes needed?

Resumes may be provided as part of past performance documentation.

18. Does current contractor quarantine fish?

Yes

19. Is there an expectation to feed fish 5days/week?

No, some tanks are on automatic feeders. Frequency of feeding fish will depend on the species.

The feeding frequency will be at the discretion of the contractor.

20. In addition to our proposal/quote, I understand that we are required to complete and submit the Certification of Capability Document attached to the RFQ.

Should I attach this as a separate document, or paste it at the end of our quote/proposal document?

Please ensure the Certification of Capability Document is completed and submitted either as an attachment or inserted as part of the technical proposal but all parts of the document must be completed.

21. Our entity in SAM.gov exists and is current, recently updated in January 2025.

Do we need to complete and submit any additional FAR provisions listed in the RFQ?

Pertaining to - 52.212-3, Offeror

Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (JAN 2025)?

If we selected in SAM that we did not certify the following clause, should we submit a re-completed 52.212-3 with the RFQ?

I selected 'does not certify' when completing this for the first time due to some misunderstanding of (iii) below. I can certify to the remainder of the statements in this section, but am unsure if proportion of time spent servicing the CC vs our other clients is applicable?

I can complete as certified and attach to the RFQ if that is acceptable; I can recomplete as certified in our SAM ID as well, but this might not update for 7-10 days.

☐ (2) Certain services as described in FAR 22.1003-4(d)(1). The offeror □ does □ does not certify that-

(i) The services under the contract are offered and sold regularly to non-Governmental customers, and are provided by the offeror (or subcontractor in the case of an exempt subcontract) to the general public in substantial quantities in the course of normal business operations;

(ii) The contract services will be furnished at prices that are, or are based on, established catalog or market prices (see FAR 22.1003-4(d)(2)(iii));

(iii) Each service employee who will perform the services under the contract will spend only a small portion of his or her time (a monthly average of less than 20 percent of the available hours on an annualized basis, or less than 20 percent of available hours during the contract period if the contract period is less than a month) servicing the Government contract; and

(iv) The compensation (wage and fringe benefits) plan for all service employees performing work under the contract is the same as that used for these employees and equivalent employees servicing commercial customers.

(3) If paragraph (k)(1) or (k)(2) of this clause applies–

(i) If the offeror does not certify to the conditions in paragraph (k)(1) or (k)(2) and the

Contracting Officer did not attach a Service Contract Labor Standards wage determination to the solicitation, the offeror shall notify the Contracting Officer as soon as possible; and

(ii) The Contracting Officer may not make an award to the offeror if the offeror fails to execute the certification in paragraph (k)(1) or (k)(2) of this clause or to contact the Contracting Officer as required in paragraph (k)(3)(i) of this clause.

-All Offerors must have an active SAM record at the time of submission and must be certified as a

SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE.

22. Pictures Requested:

See 8 Exhibits

1. Radiology Canopy

2. Radiology Canopy 2

3. Radiology Canopy 3

4. Radiology Canopy 4

5. Phlebotomy Cabinet

6. Phlebotomy Cabinet 2

7. 13th FL Cabinet

8. 13th FL Cabinet 2