RFQ - FA910125QB026 - Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium Generation System.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

HEADQUARTERS AIR FORCE TEST CENTER (AFMC)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE CALIFORNIA

April 4, 2025

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION

FROM: AFTC/PZIA

Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) 100 Kindel Drive, Suite A332 Arnold AFB, TN 37389

SUBJECT: Request for Quote (RFQ) FA910125QB026, Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium Generation System

The subject requirement is for a commercial supply; as such, this solicitation is prepared in accordance with (IAW) the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This solicitation is not authorization to begin performance, and in no way obligates the Government for any costs incurred by the vendor associated with developing a quote. The Government reserves the right not to award an agreement in response to this solicitation. Prior to commencement of any activities associated with performance of this requirement, the Government will issue a written directive or document signed by the Contracting Officer with appropriate consideration.

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular, FAC 2025-03 dated 01/17/2025, Department of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFARS) Change 01/17/2025 effective 01/17/2025 and Department of the Air Force Federal Acquisition Regulation (DAFFARS) Change 204-0612 effective 06/12/2024.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 325120, Industrial Gas Manufacturing

Federal Supply Code: 6830, Gases: Compressed and Liquefied

This solicitation is full and open to all competition.

The purpose of this solicitation is for the Government to obtain commercial products related to helium recovery and liquid helium generation system. The helium recovery and liquid helium generation system shall include, but not limited to inflatable recovery bladder, recovery compressor, post compression storage cylinders, and a pre-liquification/reintegration purifier.

The system shall also have a method of liquefying gaseous helium supplied by the helium recovery portion. Full requirement details are in Attachment 1 - Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium SOW. Delivery shall be to Arnold Air Force Base (AFB), Tennessee (TN). There will be on-site functionality support required to support installation by another contractor.

FAR Provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sep 2023) applies to this acquisition and the following addendum applies:

Paragraph (a) first sentence revised as follows: The NAICS code and small business size standard for this acquisition appear above.”

Paragraph (c) first sentence revised as follows: “The vendor agrees to hold the prices in its quote firm for 60 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of quote, unless another time period is specified in an addendum to the quote.”

RFQ due date: April 21, 2025 RFQ due time: 10:00 A.M. Central Time Email to: erica.anglin@us.af.mil and andrew.waggoner.3@us.af.mil Subject: FA910125QB026 Quote – Company Name Note: .zip files are not an acceptable format for the Air Force Network and will not go through our email system.

The vendor shall identify any exception to the RFQ terms and conditions with supporting rationale. The Government reserves the right to determine any such exceptions are unacceptable.

Any exception determined unacceptable by the Government may result in the vendor’s quote being determined unacceptable and ineligible for award. If no exceptions are taken, include a statement stating so with the quote.

The potential award shall follow FAR Subpart 13.5 procedures. The quotes shall conform to the RFQ requirements (to include all stated terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and all other information required by the RFQ instructions).

Interchanges are fluid interaction(s) between the Contracting Officer (CO) and vendor that may address any aspect of the quote and may or may not be documented in real time. The Government intends to make award based on the initial quote submission without conducting interchanges. Therefore, the vendor should contain its best terms from a price and technical standpoint, which is one quote per vendor. However, the Government reserves the right to hold interchanges using Interchange Notices (INs) if, during the evaluation, it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government. The responses to INs will be considered in making award.

Basis of Award:

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) shall be the primary means for quote evaluation.

All quotes will be sorted from lowest total evaluated price to highest total evaluate price; the total evaluated price equals the sum of all line items. The lowest priced quote will be evaluated first. If the lowest priced quote is found technically acceptable, then the second lowest will be evaluated to assist with price fair and reasonable determination. If the lowest priced quote is found technically unacceptable, then the second lowest priced quote will be evaluated for technical acceptability. This process will continue until at least one quote is determined technically acceptable. The vendor acknowledges the LPTA evaluation methodology by submitting a quote.

If the vendor wishes to take an exception with the solicitation or its attachments, then it must be clearly stated in the quote submission. The Government reserves the right to not allow the exception.

The quote package should include:

1. The vendor shall provide a technical solution to meet all requirements listed in Attachment 1 – Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium SOW.

2. A commercial determination to support the technical solution.

3. Provide signed authorized reseller letter(s) for quoted manufactured product(s) or statement that your company is the manufacturer with the manufacturing country.

4. The pricing breakdown shall be detailed enough to align with the technical portion.

Pricing shall be complete, reasonable, and balanced.

All companies must be registered in the System for Award Management at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ to be considered for award. The Government will not provide financing for this acquisition. Invoice instructions are provided in Attachment 2 - Draft Contract with Provisions and Clauses.

Factor 1: Technical Solution

Under this factor, the Government will assign the factor an adjectival rating of Acceptable or Unacceptable, as defined in Table 1 below.

Table 1 – Factor 1 Ratings

Rating Definition

Acceptable Quote meets all measures of merit for Factor 1.

Unacceptable Quote does not meet all measures of merit for Factor 1, including, but not limited to the following:

The technical solution does not meet the requirement.

The technical solution is determined to be non-commercial.

The signed authorized reseller letter(s) are not provided for the products or statement that the vendor is the manufacturer, and the products violates the Trade Agreement Act.

In order to be deemed technically acceptable, the following measure of merit must be met:

Technical solution provided meets all technical requirements IAW Attachment 1 – Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium SOW and a commercial determination statement. This shall include a list of all major parts and components including the manufacturing location. The technical solution maximum page limit is 80 pages, exclusive of the commercial determination statement and authorized reseller letters or manufacturer statement.

The commercial determination statement shall discuss how the technical solution is commercial or non-commercial, and it shall not exceed two pages.

The authorized reseller letters or manufacturer statement does not have a page limit but shall be appropriate to the requirement. It shall include the manufacturing country per product and shall be compliant with the Trade Agreement Act.

Factor 2: Price

Under this factor, the Government will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 13.106-2. The quoted price shall be aligned with the technical solution.

The system shall be on one line item on the potential awarded contract.

On-site functionality support for installation by another contractor shall be priced on a separate line item on the potentially awarded contract.

Include a statement, that vendor agrees that all quoted prices shall be valid for 60 days after close of solicitation response date.

Applicable definitions are outlined below:

Completeness - The awardee’s quotes will be reviewed to determine the extent to which all the price elements have been addressed. The awardee’s quotes will be evaluated to ensure continuity and traceability of prices to the technical quotes and between the initial quotes and any revisions.

The review will determine the adequacy of the quotes in addressing and fulfilling the RFQ requirements.

Reasonableness - For the quote to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the Government that a prudent person would pay in the conduct of competitive business. The Government will determine the quote reasonable through the use of one or more price and cost analysis techniques.

Unbalanced pricing - Contractors are cautioned against submitting a quote that contains unbalanced pricing. Unbalanced pricing may increase performance risk and could result in payment of unreasonably high prices.

Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the price of one or more contract line items is significantly over or understated. The Government shall analyze offers to determine whether they are unbalanced with respect to separately priced line items or sub-line items. An offer that is determined to be unbalanced may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk to the Government.

Other Information:

For additional FAR provisions and clauses not referenced specifically in this document that apply to this acquisition, see Attachment 2 – Draft Contract with Provisions and Clauses.

Likewise, for DFARS and DAFFARS provisions and clauses that are applicable to this acquisition, see Attachment 2. The full text of these clauses and provisions may be assessed electronically at the website acquisition.gov. NOTE: ALL PROVISIONS WILL BE

REMOVED AT TIME OF AWARD BUT SHALL REMAIN PART OF THE OFFICIAL

AGREEMENT FILE.

Erica A. Anglin Contracting Officer AFTC/PZIA (Arnold)

Attachment(s):

Attachment 1 - Helium Recovery and Liquid Helium SOW Attachment 2 - Draft Contract with Provisions and Clauses