CSS-Chemistry Software Support.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

COMPETITIVE

Title: Chemistry Software and Support

Introductory Statement

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

Solicitation Number and Authority

The solicitation number is 75N95024R00021 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotations (RFQ).

This acquisition is for a commercial item or service, is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13.5—Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services and FAR Part 12— Acquisition of Commercial Items.

The Government intends to award a single, Firm-Fixed-Price purchase order using these procedures. All quotations that are submitted MUST conform to the instructions and specifications contained in the RFQ and Statement of Work (SOW) to be considered for award.

The Government reserves the right to award with or without discussions if it determines it to be in its best interest. Therefore, it is important that your initial quotation include your most favorable terms from both a price and technical standpoint. The Government also reserves the right to award no purchase order depending on the quality of the quotations, the availability of funding, and the continued existence of the requirement.

Applicable Federal Acquisition Circular

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-04, dated April 1, 2024.

NAICS Code and Small Business Size Standard

The associated NAICS code is 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) and the small business size standard is $34 million.

This requirement is competed on a full and open basis with no set-aside restrictions.

Description of Requirement The purpose of this contract will be to procure ready to install chemistry software to support the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain (PSPP) and Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP) programs. Under this purchase order, the contractor will provide chemistry software ready to integrate with NIH systems the day contract is awarded that will help in drawing, storing, and searching the chemical structures of small or large compounds. The chemistry software will also support searches of the structures on the Public Access to

Neuroactive & Anticonvulsant Chemical Evaluations (PANAChE) database.

The new contract for chemistry software must provide chemistry software functionalities and support as detailed in this Statement of Work.

Please see Attachment 1 – Statement of Work for a full description of the requirement.

Anticipated Period of Performance

The anticipated period of performance is as follows:

Base: June 15, 2024 – June 14, 2025 Option Year 1: June 15, 2025 – June 14, 2026 Option Year 2: June 15, 2026 – June 14, 2027 Option Year 3: June 15, 2027 – June 14, 2028 Option Year 4: June 15, 2028 – June 14, 2029

Applicability of FAR provision 52.212-1

The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference. The following instructions are included as an addendum to this provision.

Cover Page:

The Quoter shall provide the below information on the first page of its response:

1. Solicitation Number: 75N95024R00021

2. Quotation Number

3. Submission and Expiration Date of Quotation

4. Company’s Full Name and Address;

5. Company’s UEI Number, CAGE Code, and TIN Number; and

6. Name, Telephone Number, and Email Address of Person Authorized to Provide

Quotation

Technical Response Format:

Quoter responses shall be no more than ten (10) single-sided pages in length and submitted in PDF format. This page limit includes the following:

1. Cover Page

2. Software Capabilities

3. Technical Support

4. Past Performance examples

This page limit does NOT include:

1. Price Quote/Narrative

2. Representations and Certifications

3. Supplemental Documentation

Technical Response Content:

Responses to this RFQ must include enough information to establish that the Quoter can provide the required services and satisfy the “specific requirements” described within the SOW and the technical evaluation criteria.

Quotations will be evaluated against the technical factors described in Attachment 4 – Technical Evaluation Criteria.

Quoter should also provide any other information or factors that are relevant to the award decision. Additionally, responses must include a statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms and conditions included in the solicitation.

Business Response:

Quoters are instructed to submit their price quote as a separate attachment in either PDF or Excel format and include the following information for the base period and each option period, as applicable:

Base

Period Option

Period 1 Option

Period 2 Option

Period 3 Option

Period 4 Chemistry Analysis Software Licenses Optional Support

Total

Total price (must be clearly stated and represent a firm-fixed-price amount for performance of all work during the purchase order’s period of performance (including option periods).

Quoters may also provide a narrative describing the basis for their pricing, which should not exceed 2 pages in length.

Other Documentation:

In addition to their technical response and price quotes, Quoters are required to submit, at a minimum, the following documentation. They are also encouraged to provide any supplemental documentation that will assist with evaluation of their technical capabilities.

� Completed Representations and Certifications (Please pay particular attention to the highlighted text and provide no more information than is required)

Two-Phase Evaluation

Phase One Technical Evaluation Criteria:

During Phase One, the Government’s Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) will evaluate the quoter’s response and the capabilities of the proposed software to determine whether the quoter and proposed personnel are capable of performing the work contemplated within the SOW. An overall score will be given for this factor. (Please see Attachment 5 and Attachment 5 for additional information.)

During Phase One, the Government will evaluate price for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement in accordance with FAR 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (JUL 1990). The Government may determine that a quote is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options does not obligate the Government to exercise them.

Phase Two Technical Evaluation Criteria:

During Phase Two, respondents whose quotes received the highest ratings for Phase One will be given an opportunity to provide a demonstration of their software to NIH staff with an oral presentation orienting NIH staff to using the software. Vendor demonstration must demo all the chemistry software requirements as outlined in SOW and provided in the Instructions to Offerors. These demonstrations will be conducted via virtual presentations in accordance with the “Phase Two Instructions” (Attachment 5).

The TEP will primarily use these demonstrations and presentations to evaluate the software's capabilities and provided technical support in accordance with Attachment 4 – Technical Evaluation Criteria.

Applicability of FAR provision 52.212-2

The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Attachment 4 – Technical Evaluation Criteria is provided as an addendum.

Applicability of FAR provision 52.212-3

The provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items applies to this acquisition and can be found at Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions.

As previously stated, the Quoter must include the completed and signed Representations and Certifications form with its response.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-4

The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference.

For a full list of applicable terms and conditions, please see Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-5

The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and can be found at Attachment 3 – FAR 52.212-5.

Additional Requirements

NIH is using a phased transition approach from the NIH Office of Financial Management (OFM) Electronic Invoice Submission instructions to the Department of Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). This award will transition to IPP in the future.

Depending on whether the successful Contractor has already transitioned to IPP, they shall use either Attachment 6 – Invoicing Instructions with IPP.

All IPP invoices must contain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which is located in the System for Award Management (SAM) and replaces the Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

Quoter must also possess and maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), which can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

Question and Response Deadlines

All questions regarding this RFQ must be submitted electronically by April 23, 2024 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Faxed questions will NOT be answered.

All responses to this RFQ must be submitted electronically by May 6, 2024 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time and reference solicitation number 75N95024R00021 in the subject line of the email. Faxed responses will NOT be accepted.

All correspondence, including questions and responses, shall be submitted to the below individual:

Sneha Singh Contracting Officer

Email: sneha.singh@nih.gov

Commercial Provisions/Clauses Please be advised that the NIH is a Federal agency. Your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions may include provisions that are customarily found in the commercial sector, but which are not appropriate for a contract with a Federal agency. Specifically, NIH considers any provision in your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions to be inappropriate and unenforceable that:

(1) Contravenes a right granted NIH under U.S. copyright law (e.g., fair use, right to archive, copying for interlibrary loan),

(2) Violates the Federal Acquisition Regulation or other Federal law (e.g., Antideficiency Act, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law),

(3) Departs from reasonable consumer expectations, or

(4) Violates fundamental public policy.

The NINDS shall assume that you agree with the statements herein if you submit a quotation and accept the Government’s purchase order.

IMPORTANT

This RFQ does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of a quotation or to contract for supplies or services.

Attachments Attachment 1 – Statement of Work Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions Attachment 3 – FAR 52.212-5

Attachment 4 – Technical Evaluation Criteria Attachment 5 – Phase Two Instructions

Attachment 6 – Invoicing Instructions with IPP http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:sneha.singh@nih.gov