D 75N95023Q00650-CSS.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

75N95023Q00650

TITLE: Service Agreement for Axion Biosystems Instruments

(i) 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.

(ii) The solicitation number is 75N95023Q00650 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). This acquisition is for a commercial item and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures, FAR Part 13.5 – Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and FAR Part 12 - Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through

Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2023-04 effective June 2, 2023.

(iv) The associated NAICS code is 334516 and the Small Business size standard is 1,000 employees.

(v) THIS IS A NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) COMBINED SYNOPSIS

SOLICITATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING

FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Office of Acquisition (OA), on behalf of the

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing full and open competition for a brand-name Axion Biosystems service agreement that covers Axion Biosystems instruments. This acquisition is conducted as non-competitive for a commercial service and is conducted pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items and FAR 13.501, Special Documentation Requirements, in accordance with 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1901.

Pursuant to FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iv), the justification (redacted) is made available with this solicitation.

DESCRIPTION

(vi) The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), within the National

Institutes of Health (NIH), requires a service agreement for multiple Axion Biosystems instruments.

See the attached Statement of Work for full requirement details.

(vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm, fixed-price purchase order with an anticipated base period of performance of 12 months and two, 12-month option periods.

EVALUATION AND AWARD

(viii) The anticipated award date is September 12, 2023.

(ix) The Government plans to make an award resulting from this solicitation. The resulting award will be made to the responsible quoter whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered, using comparative evaluations. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes:

1. Technical Capability. The ability to provide the required service agreement as described in the Statement of Work.

2. Past Performance. Prior performance of contracts with similar requirements. The

Government may use any source of available past performance information (see FAR 13.106- 2(b)(3)).

3. Price. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

(x) The contractor must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM).

(xi) The contractor must perform maintenance services using OEM trained and certified engineers, and must use OEM parts when needed to perform maintenance or repairs.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

(xii) All responses to this RFQ must be received by 10:00am Eastern Time on Monday, September 11, 2023 and must reference the solicitation number cited above. Responses must be submitted via email to Kimberly Espinosa at kimberly.espinosa@nih.gov.

(xiii) This is an RFQ. This request does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or service.

mailto:kimberly.espinosa@nih.gov

Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this RFQ must be completed by the quoter.

(xiv) Responses to this RFQ must include clear and convincing evidence of the quoter’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the technical evaluation criteria. Responses may exceed capability or performance characteristics of the solicitation's requirements. The Government reserves the right, but is not required, to award to a response that exceeds capability or performance characteristics of the solicitation's requirements if it provides a benefit to the Government.

Respondents that believe that they are authorized resellers of the brand-name service specified in this announcement must provide, as part of their response, written documentation or evidence of the OEM’s willingness to provide the required services and supplies under a contract with the respondent.

(xv) Responses must include the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) (which recently replaced the DUNS number), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), the certification of business size, the completed representation in FAR Provision 52.229-11, and the completed representations in FAR Provision 52.212-3. If the quoter’s representations in the System for Award Management (SAM) are accurate, only Paragraph B should be completed.

(xvi) Responses must also include a quotation in U.S. dollars that includes:

1. The total price,

2. Individual prices for each item,

3. Prompt payment discount terms,

4. Product or catalog number(s),

5. Product description, and

6. Any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: special features required for effective program performance; trade-in considerations; warranty considerations; maintenance availability; and environmental and energy efficiency considerations.

(xvii) For information about this RFQ, contact Kimberly Espinosa, Contracting Officer, at 301-827-

3546 or kimberly.espinosa@nih.gov.

(xviii) All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PROVISIONS, CLAUSES, AND REPRESENTATIONS

(xix) FAR Provision 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998).

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at www.acquisition.gov.

The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:

1. FAR Provision 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)

2. FAR Provision 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)

3. FAR Provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Dec 2022)

(xx) FAR Clause 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998). This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at www.acquisition.gov.

In addition to the clauses checked in FAR 52.212-5 (attached), the following clauses also apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:

1. FAR Clause 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)

2. FAR Clause 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020)

3. FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and

Commercial Services (Dec 2022)

4. HHSAR Clause 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity

Investigations (December 18, 2015)

(xxi) Option Clause. The Government may require the performance of the optional tasks, identified in the Schedule as an option item, at the price stated in the Schedule. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor at any time during the period of performance.

(xxii) FAR Clause 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000).

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor at anytime during the period of performance; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 7 days before the contract expires.

The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 36 months.

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

ATTACHMENTS

(xxiv) The following terms, provisions, and clauses are incorporated and attached in full text:

1. Statement of Work

2. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and

Commercial Services (Mar 2023) (Tailored)

3. FAR Provision 52.229-11, Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements—Notice and

Representation (Jun 2020)

4. FAR Provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Dec 2022)

5. The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement

Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Jun 2023)

6. Invoice and Payment Provisions with IPP (March 21, 2023)

7. Wage Rate Determination 2015-4471 (June 30, 2023)