Attachment 4 - Tech Eval Criteria_Chemistry Software.pdf

Technical Evaluation Criteria

The Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer will review all quotes for conformance to the solicitation instructions. The Government’s Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) will evaluate all quotes in accordance with the technical evaluation criteria described below. This evaluation will proceed in two phases.

Depending on the quality of the responses submitted, the Government will award one purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the respondent whose quote represents the best value – technical factors, price, and past performance considered. The tradeoff process may be used in making this determination. You must submit sufficient information to evaluate your proposal based on the factors listed below. You are also advised and cautioned that your proposal will only be evaluated on the information provided in the proposal.

The technical factors combined are considered significantly more important than price and past performance. Price and past performance will be considered during both Phases One and Two of the evaluation process but will not be point scored. Phase One will be scored out of 100 possible points for Technical Factor #1 and #2. Phase Two will be scored out of 100 possible points for Technical Factor #3 and #4.

Please note that during Phase Two of the evaluation process, the Government may revise any Quoter’s score for Technical Factor #1 and #2 and/or its evaluation of the Quoter’s price and past performance if merited by that Quoter’s oral presentation and Phase Two response.

Phase One Technical Evaluation Criteria:

During Phase One, the 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.

This evaluation will be done in accordance with Factor 1: Software Capabilities and Factor 2:

Technical Support, which is described in Table A.

Table A: Evaluation Criteria for Phase One Technical Factors Technical Factor 1: Software Capabilities – 75 points

The Government will evaluate the offeror’s description of their software’s ability to meet all the requirements described in the SOW. These broadly include:

1) The chemistry software compatibility or interface for both NINDS Desktop and Web use

2) The chemistry structure drawing tool with all the structure attributes

3) The characterization analysis

4) The ADME feature

5) Use of software in other Government projects

Technical Factor 2: Technical Support – 25 points

The Government will evaluate the offeror’s proposed system for providing technical support, including assisting with the effects of updates to NIH laptops and systems, assisting NIH staff and collaborators with issues that arise, and maintaining the software’s capabilities across the period of performance as described in the SOW.

Total Possible Points: 100

It is anticipated the purchase order awarded from this solicitation will contain option periods and quantity options. The price of the options will be included and considered in the total price of the proposal as offered and evaluated.

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. The evaluation criteria for price and past performance are described in more detail in Table B:

Table B: Evaluation Criteria for Phase One Non-Technical Factors Price Evaluation:

Respondent’s total quoted price will be evaluated for price reasonableness. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the government that a prudent person would pay when consideration is given to prices in the market. Quoters are expected to establish a reasonable price relationship between all price elements. An evaluation of the respondent’s price quote will be performed to determine if it reflects a clear understanding of the requirements and is consistent with Quoter’s technical response.

Price Risk: Refers to any aspect of the respondent’s quote that could have significant negative price consequences for the Government. Quotes will be assessed to identify potential risks.

Past Performance:

Quoters shall identify up to two (2) awards with the Federal Government and/or commercial customers that demonstrate recent and relevant past performance. Relevant is defined as work similar in complexity and magnitude to the work described in the SOW.

This evaluation will not be conducted, however, on any respondent whose quote is determined to be technically unacceptable or otherwise not considered for award.

Include the following information:

• Project title

• Description of the project

• Contract number

• Contract amount

• Government Agency/Organization

• Contracting Officer’s name, address, and phone number

• Contract and, if applicable, task order number

• Current status, e.g., completed and/or if in progress, start and estimated completion dates

• Dollar value and type of contract

• Name of company being referenced

• SOW paragraphs that the reference applies to

• Key personnel (please highlight those individuals who worked on the relevant project(s) and are also being proposed for this effort.)

• A brief narrative of why you deem the reference to be relevant to this effort

The Government may also consider information obtained through other sources. Past performance information will be used to determine the quality of the contractor’s past performance as it relates to the probability of success of the required effort.

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” section of the solicitation.

The TEP will primarily use these demonstrations and presentations to evaluate the software's capabilities and provided technical support in accordance with Technical Factor 3:

Demonstrated Software Capabilities and Technical Factor 4: Demonstrated Technical Support.

The evaluation criteria for Technical Factors 3 and 4 are described in more detail in Table C:

Table C: Evaluation Criteria for Phase Two Technical Factors Technical Factor 3: Demonstrated Software Capabilities – 75 points

The Government will use the demonstration of the software to assess the ease of use, compatibility with NINDS systems and ability to handle all the requirements described in the SOW and detailed in the Phase Two Instructions. The presentation will be used to orient NIH staff on how to use the tool.

Technical Factor 4: Demonstrated Technical Support – 25 points

The Government will use to the demonstration of the software to test the offeror’s system of providing technical support. The presentation will be used to explain to NIH staff how to access technical support (e.g., email, forums, phone calls). NIH staff will use the technical support system in place and evaluate the response time, helpfulness, and ability to resolve issues or handle requirements described in the SOW.

Total Possible Points: 100

Evaluation Criteria for Phase Two Non-Technical Factors

Price Evaluation:

Please see Table B.

Past Performance:

Please see Table B.