RFP Letter - Read First.doc

Cully Johnston Procurement Specialist III Financial Management & Procurement Services Argonne National Laboratory

9700 South Cass Avenue, Bldg. 201

Lemont, IL 60439

Phone: (630)252-6485 E-Mail: cjohnston@anl.gov

April 24, 2024 Attention:

ALL PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS

Subject:

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 4-P131-P-00098-00 based on Argonne National Laboratory Scope of Work for “Ensuring Success of Demonstration Projects for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations” Limitation of Funds: This requirement is currently not funded. The Laboratory’s obligation under this solicitation with regard to issuance of any resultant contract is subject to availability of appropriated funds.

UChicago Argonne, LLC operator of Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) under a prime contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has the responsibility of obtaining the item(s) which are the subject of this Request for Proposal (RFP). You are invited to furnish a fixed price proposal to meet this requirement. Your attention is directed to the enclosed documents which constitute requirements for this RFP and should be fully complied with as indicated.

Enclosure No. 1:

Instructions for Preparation of Proposal and Notices to Offerors.

Enclosure No. 2:

Contract Articles and General Provisions applicable to any resultant contract. These include the following documents:

A. Sample Fixed Price Contract (FOR REVIEW).

B.

Appendix “A”, Argonne Terms and Conditions for Fixed Price Contracts, ANL-527, dated December 10, 2021 C.

Appendix “B”, Argonne National Laboratory Statement of Work entitled, “Ensuring Success of Demonstration Projects for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations,” dated January 30, 2024, and Exhibit A to Appendix “B”.

D.

Appendix “C”, Travel Policy for Contractor Personnel – Fixed Price Contracts, ANL-529 dated March 20, 2015.

E.

Appendix “D-8”, Intellectual Property Provisions, Special Works, ANL-537IP dated June 2020.

F.

Appendix “E”, Small Business Model Subcontracting Plan, PD-135, TBD (if required).

G.

Special Clause – Progress Payments Based on Milestones, PD-133, 09/02/2015.

Enclosure No. 3:

Contract Pricing Proposal Form. (PLEASE COMPLETE) Enclosure No. 4:

Evaluation Criteria

Enclosure No. 5:

Pre-Award Information and Representations and Certifications booklet, Form ANL-70B, dated June 6, 2022. (PLEASE COMPLETE) Enclosure No. 6:

Organizational Conflicts of Interest Disclosure/Representation, ANL-548, dated. (PLEASE COMPLETE)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Your immediate requirement is to provide a response concerning your price proposal with substantiation and background information, completion of the representation/certification booklet, and submission of changes or waiver/deletion requests of Enclosure No. 2 (as applicable; if any) with basis of such request. Based upon your submission(s) and determination by this office for any subsequent award, a potential contract similar to that transmitted to you for information purposes may be transmitted to you.

For ease of evaluation of the proposals by the Laboratory, it is requested that your proposal be segregated into three (3) separate packages or files: (1) Technical proposal; (2) Business/Management proposal including all non-technical portions of your proposal; and (3) Price proposal. Detailed instructions for preparation of proposals are outlined in Enclosure No. 1. Enclosure No. 4 sets forth proposal Evaluation Criteria and their relative importance.

A. Instructions for Offerors Enclosure No. 1 provides instructions for preparation of your proposal. The instructions should be followed very carefully, as failure to fully address or comply with any of the essential requirements may result in rejection of your offer as unacceptable.

B. General Terms and Conditions Enclosure No. 2 represents the anticipated contractual vehicle, including standard terms, provisions, and scope of work. This enclosure was provided for your information and review. Unless notified during any subsequent negotiations, these documents will be included in any resultant agreement. Any request for deviation or waiver from terms or conditions provided herein must be addressed in writing with your response. Your request must specify the particular term or condition that you desire altered, changed, or deleted. Identify the basis of your request.

C.

Cost/Pricing Data Enclosure No. 3 is a pricing format to be used when submitting your Price Proposal. The contract that will result from this RFP is a fixed price contract.

Please submit a firm fixed price for each task. If milestone deliverable payments are request

Your proposal shall state that it will remain open for acceptance for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days after the proposal due date.

D. Evaluation Criteria Enclosure No. 4 sets forth proposal evaluation criteria and their relative importance. The Price and Business Management Proposals are considered of lesser importance than the Technical Proposal. While the Price Proposal may not be the controlling factor for award, it will be a significant part of the Laboratory’s selection decision. It should be noted that no award will be made at an unreasonable price. The Technical Proposal should be a separate and independent document from the Price Proposal and Business/Management Proposal.

E. Representations/Certifications

Enclosure No. 5 should be completed, signed, and included with your Business Management proposal. Pre-Award Information and Booklet of Representations and Certifications is a questionnaire and must be completed in its entirety, signed, dated and returned with your offer. This booklet is considered essential, and no award will be issued without receipt of a properly executed booklet. Additionally, to receive an award, all contractors must maintain active registration at the System for Award Management www.sam.gov.

F. Small Business and Small Disadvantaged Business Model Subcontracting Plan

The Laboratory will require submittal of a subcontracting plan in accordance with the clause entitled, “Small Business Subcontracting Plan” of the Argonne Terms and Conditions for Fixed-Price Contracts. The Laboratory will examine the plan to determine its acceptability. The accepted plan will be included in any resultant contract as Appendix G.

G. OCI Disclosure/Representations Form Enclosure No. 6 is the Organizational Conflicts of Interest Disclosure/Representations form. The Laboratory has determined that the Department of Energy's (DOE's) regulations pertaining to Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) are applicable to the subject requirement. Enclosure No. 6 should be completed and returned with the proposal. The purpose of obtaining the above information is to assure that there is an avoidance of situations: (1) which place an offeror in a position where its judgment may be biased because of any past, present, or currently planned interest, financial or otherwise, that the offeror may have which relates to the work to be performed pursuant to this solicitation, or (2) where the offeror's performance of such work may provide it with an unfair competitive advantage. (As used herein "offeror" means the proposer or any of its affiliates or proposed consultants or subcontractors of any tier.)

H.

Authorized Contracting Representatives and Key Personnel Proposals should identify the proposed key individual(s) performing the project, and the individual(s), (name, title, and telephone number) who will represent the establishment in any ensuing negotiations. Refer to the criterion entitled Personnel Capability of Enclosure No. 4, Evaluation Criteria.

I.

Submission, Modification, Revision, And Withdrawal of Proposals (1) Proposals and modifications to proposals shall be submitted electronically to cjohnston@anl.gov, (i) addressed to the Procurement Specialist specified in the solicitation, and (ii) showing the solicitation number, and the name and address of the offeror.

(2) The first page of the proposal must show-

(i) The solicitation number 4-P131-P-00098-00 (ii) The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the offeror (and electronic address if available); and

(iii) Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign the proposal. Proposals signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent's authority unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office.

(3) Late proposals and revisions.

Any proposal received after the exact time specified for receipt of offers will not be considered unless it is received before award is made and it is in the best interest of the Laboratory.

(4) Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in English and in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise permitted by the solicitation.

(5) Offerors may submit modifications to their proposals at any time before the solicitation closing date and time, and may submit modifications in response to an amendment, or to correct a mistake at any time before award.

(6) Proposals may be withdrawn at any time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Laboratory Procurement Official.

J.

Award Authority

The Laboratory reserves the right to accept or reject all proposals if that is determined to be in the best interest of the Laboratory. Award may be made without discussion; and hence, your proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms. Proposed award is based on a continuing program requirement and the issuance of obligational authority from the Procurement Department of the Laboratory. Any subsequent award issued by the Laboratory shall be constituted in writing from authorized representatives of the Procurement Department of Argonne. No other representatives of the Laboratory are authorized to issue contracts or agreements or bind the Laboratory to any form of agreement or understanding. The Authorized Laboratory Procurement Official is the only individual who can legally commit the Laboratory to the expenditure of funds in connection with this proposed procurement.

K.

Proposal Preparation Cost

This RFP is not intended and shall not be construed to commit the Laboratory to pay any cost incurred in connection with any pre-proposal meeting, proposal or to procure or contract for any supplies/services.

L.

Period of Performance

The anticipated period of performance for the resultant contract is from date of award for the period of 18 months.

All questions, comments, and correspondence should be directed to the undersigned at the email address specified above.

Sincerely, Cully Johnston Procurement Specialist III Procurement Department

MMJ/mg Enclosures

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