CSS_75N95024Q00189_Final.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION COMPETITIVE

Solicitation Number: 75N95024Q00189

TITLE: Assay Development Consultant Support Services

Introductory Statement

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

The Government reserves the right to make one award, multiple awards, or no awards as a result of this solicitation.

Solicitation Number and Authority

The solicitation number is 75N95024Q00189 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotations (RFQ).

This acquisition is for a commercial service and is conducted under the authority of the FAR Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services and is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

Applicable Federal Acquisition Circular

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-06, dated July 30, 2024.

NAICS Code and Small Business Standard

The associated NAICS code is 541690 (All Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) and the small business size standard is $19 million.

This acquisition is being conducted as a women-owned small business set-aside.

Anticipated Contract Type

The Government intends to award one or more Labor-Hour type purchase orders with Options to Extend the Term of the Contract and Options for Increased Quantity.

Description of Requirement

Statement of Need and Purpose: The NIH is seeking senior-level, industry-experienced drug discovery and development consultants with expertise in Assay Development to provide technical guidance to the following programs:

• NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Program [BPN] drug development programs.

• NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term [HEAL] Initiative HEAL Initiative

• Other NIH neuroscience-focused drug discovery and development programs.

Please refer to Attachment #1 - Statement of Work (SOW) for complete details and specifications.

Period and Place of Performance

Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance is a one-year base period from the effective date of award and two (2) subsequent one-year option periods as follows:

Base Period: September 30, 2024 – September 29, 2025 Option Period One: September 30, 2025 – September 29, 2026 Option Period Two: September 30, 2026 – September 29, 2027

Place of Performance: The primary place of performance shall be the Contractor site. Video conference and email shall be the primary mode of communication; however, the Contractor may be required to work at Government facilities or facilities of selected principal investigators on an as needed basis for short duration such as site visit or in-person meeting.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-1

The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (SEP 2023) applies to this acquisition. The following instructions are included as an addendum.

Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the Quoter’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the following evaluation factors:

• Technical Factor 1: Personnel Qualifications;

o Sub-factor 1: Professional Experience and Expertise in Drug Discovery and

Development o Sub-factor 2: Educational Degrees and Certifications o Sub-factor 3: Collaborative Team Experience

• Technical Factor 2: Understanding the Project and Technical Approach, and

• Price Evaluation; and

• Past Performance.

Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria identified in this solicitation as well as the SOW requirements.

Technical Requirements:

Technical responses shall include resumes of proposed key personnel, consultants, and any subcontractors, as well as a letter of commitment from proposed key personnel. These responses should also clearly identify whether proposed personnel will be or are an employee of the Quoter. Please note that all proposed key personnel must be employed by the Quoter no later than the start of the contract’s period of performance.

Please note, however, that while resumes of all proposed key personnel are required, they are NOT, by themselves, sufficient. Quoters MUST also submit a separate narrative demonstrating how proposed Key Personnel satisfy the Personnel Qualifications evaluation criteria. Please carefully examine the evaluation criteria prior to writing this narrative.

Technical responses must also address the Quoter’s understanding of the project and proposed technical approach for fulfilling the requirement, specifically:

• How the Quoter characterizes the role and responsibilities of its key personnel as they relate to the specific requirements described in the SOW

• Anticipated problems and constraints likely to be encountered in performing the work and potential plans and solutions for resolving them

• If applicable, examples of how the Quoter has effectively trained other project staff or clients in their discipline.

Business Requirements:

Quoters are required to complete Attachment #4 – Price Template. Quoters are only to fill in the highlighted cells (including the proposed labor rate and the number of consultants being proposed); all other cells will then auto-populate. Quoters must submit the completed pricing template in Excel (do not convert to PDF) as a separate attachment and shall not combine or embed the pricing template with other materials.

The Government anticipates annual funding for an estimated 20 labor hours and has included an annual not to exceed amount of 780 optional hours (for a total annual ceiling of 800 hours).

The Government will also reimburse the successful Quoter(s) for travel-related expenses that are necessary for performance of this requirement up to the designated not-to-exceed amounts.

These funds shall be provided only after it is determined there is a need for travel. All travel requests require advance approval by the Government.

In recognition of these facts, Quoter must include the following statement in its’ response:

“It is anticipated that the Government will fund an estimated amount of 20 hours and that a maximum of up to 780 additional hours may be funded and exercised in any increment during each contract period. It is also understood that a not‐to‐exceed travel amount of $1,200 may be funded and exercised during each contract period and may only be used with advance approval. Any billable travel expenses that are submitted for reimbursement shall comply with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR).”

If the Quoter proposes the involvement of any additional staff beyond those described in the SOW, it must clearly articulate their role and why it believes additional personnel are necessary to fulfill the requirement. The Quoter must also specify how this time will be charged (e.g., direct hourly rate or included within overhead). Finally, the Quoter is required to document its’ rationale for any proposed Other Direct Costs (ODCs) besides travel as well as the total amount. If any of these conditions are applicable, the Quoter shall add rows for the additional costs to the Price Template and include a Price Narrative in its response.

Salary Rate Limitation:

Quoters are advised that no NIH funds may be used to pay the direct annual salary of an individual through any contract awarded as a result of this solicitation at a rate in excess of the Executive Schedule, Level II* (direct salary is exclusive of Overhead, Fringe Benefits and General and Administrative expenses, also referred to as "indirect cost" or "facilities and administrative (F&A) costs"). Direct salary has the same meaning as the term "institutional base salary." An individual's direct salary (or institutional base salary) is the annual compensation that the Quoter pays for an individual's appointment whether that individual's time is spent on research, teaching, patient care or other activities. Direct salary (or institutional base salary) excludes any income that an individual may be permitted to earn outside of duties to the Quoter.

This does not preclude Quoters from absorbing that portion of an employee's annual salary (plus the dollar amount for fringe benefits and associated indirect costs) that exceeds a rate of the Executive Schedule, Level II*. The Executive Schedule, Level II* annual salary rate limitation also applies to individuals proposed under subcontracts as well as consultants.

LINK TO EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE RATES OF PAY:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ (For current year rates, click on Salaries and Wages/Executive Schedule/Rates of Pay for the Executive Schedule. For prior year rates, click on Salaries and Wages/select Another Year at the top of the page/Executive Schedule/Rates of Pay for the Executive Schedule. Rates are effective January 1 of each calendar year unless otherwise noted.)

*Note to Quoters: Quoters must adhere to the current Fiscal Year Executive Level II Salary Rate when preparing its response. All costs associated with any resultant contract award shall fully comply with the current Fiscal Year Executive Level II Salary rates.

Quoters are instructed to certify that their quoted labor rates comply with the Department of Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) Clause 352.231-70 Salary Rate Limitation through completing Attachment #3 – Representations and Certifications.

Past Performance:

Quoter shall identify 1-2 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.

Quoter shall include the following information in their past performance examples:

• Project title

• Description of the project

• Contract number

• Contract amount

• Government Agency/Organization

• Point of contact 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

• 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.)

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

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

Quoter responses shall be no more than fifteen (15) single-sided pages in length. This page limit includes the following:

(i) Cover Page, if applicable

(ii) Executive Summary, if applicable

(iii) Table of Contents, if applicable

(iv) Key Personnel Narrative (no more than two pages)

(v) Technical Approach Narrative (no more than two pages)

(vi) Price Narrative, if applicable

(vii) Past Performance Examples

This page limit does NOT include:

(i) Key Personnel Resume(s)

(ii) Letter(s) of Commitment

(iii) Representations and Certifications

(iv) Completed Price Template

Additional Required Information:

In addition to the previously discussed requirements, Quoters must include the following in their response:

1) Company’s Full Name and Address

2) Unique Entity ID (UEI), Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, and

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

3) Name, Telephone Number, and Email Address of Person Authorized to Provide Quote

Please note that, to be considered for award, Quoters must also be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), accessible at www.sam.gov, at the time of quote submission.

QUOTES DUE: To be considered for award, Quoter must submit all required materials by 3:00 PM Eastern Time on August 26, 2024, and reference solicitation number 75N95024Q00189.

Responses must be submitted electronically to Shivani Patel, Contract Specialist, at shivani.patel@nih.gov Fax responses will NOT be accepted.

All timely and responsive quotes that fully comply with the solicitation instructions and are submitted by responsible Quoters will be evaluated by the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP).

Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria identified in this solicitation as well as the SOW requirements.

Applicability of FAR provision 52.212-2

The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021), applies to this acquisition. Attachment #5 – 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 http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:shivani.patel@nih.gov

Products and Commercial Services (May 2024), applies to this acquisition.

The provision is included in full text at Attachment #3 – Representations and Certifications.

Quoter must submit a completed and signed version of this form with its response.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-4

The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2023), Alternate I (Nov 2021) applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-5

The clause at 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders- Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2024) applies to this acquisition.

FAR 52.212-5 is included in full text at Attachment #2 - Additional Terms and Conditions.

Applicability of Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS)

The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.

Any questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist, Shivani Patel, at shivani.patel@nih.gov by 3:00 PM Eastern Time on August 19, 2024. Fax responses will NOT be accepted.

Attachment #1 – Statement of Work (SOW) Attachment #2 – Additional Terms and Conditions Attachment #3 – Representations and Certifications Attachment #4 – Price Template Attachment #5 – Evaluation Criteria Attachment #6 – Invoicing Instructions Attachment #7 – Information/Physical Access Security Requirements

Questions Regarding Solicitation

RFQ Attachments mailto:shivani.patel@nih.gov