Instructions for Offerors G4-330011 Micromech Testing.doc

5-B176-Q-00163-00 12/09/2024

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

1.

Definitions: As used in this Document

Argonne or

“the Laboratory” Argonne National Laboratory is operated by the UChicago Argonne, LLC under Prime Contract with the U. S. Department of Energy. As contractor, UChicago Argonne, LLC is responsible for the management of Argonne and endeavors to ensure that Argonne effectively carries out the mission assigned to it by the sponsoring government agency. UChicago Argonne, LLC is a nonprofit, limited liability corporation.

2.

Explanation to Prospective Offerors (a) Purchase, installation and training conducted onsite at Argonne National Laboratory of a micromechanical testing system and subcomponents that operates inside of an Scanning Electron Microscope (“SEM”).

**THIS R.F.P. USES LOWEST PRICE,TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE METHODOLOGY**

(b) Any prospective Offeror desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, technical documents etc., must request Question and Answers in writing prior to 3:00PM CST DECEMBER 12, with replies sent to all prospective Offerors before the submission of the offers. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of the contract will not be binding. Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning a solicitation will be furnished promptly to all other prospective Offerors as an amendment of the solicitation, if that information is necessary in submitting offers or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other prospective Offerors.

3.

Proposal Requirements (CONTENT):

(1) All Proposals shall be responsive to the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(2) Any exceptions taken shall be detailed and refer to specific paragraphs of the technical requirements. The Laboratory reserves the right to accept minor deviations from the specifications attached.

(3) Proposals should be submitted in two (2) parts; Part I – Technical Acceptability, and Part II - Price and Business Management Information.

Each of the parts shall be separate and complete in itself so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently of and concurrently with the evaluation of the other. A cover page is not required for submittal of the two management proposals. The Technical Information shall not contain any reference to price. It must include sufficient information to address the specification requirements and technical criteria which is made part and included as an attachment for this solicitation.

(4) A completed and fully executed copy of the Pre-Award Information and Booklet of Representations and Certifications (ANL-70B) which accompanies this solicitation, must be included to be considered responsive and eligible for consideration of award.

4.

Price

(a) Firm Fixed Price, “FOB Destination” proposals are requested. “FOB destination” refers to the location where title will be transferred to Argonne. The contractor maintains all responsibility up to that destination point, and FOB does not refer to freight charges. No upcharge on freight will be accepted.

(b) Proposals shall be firm for a minimum period of sixty (60) days after the “due date” defined on page 1 of the Request for Quotation.

5.

Delivery Requirements

Offerors are requested to quote their earliest and most realistic delivery date with the knowledge that said delivery may be a prime factor in making an award.

6.

Proposal Evaluation/Source Selection

(a) It is the preference of the Laboratory to purchase from a single source. The Laboratory reserves the right to make multiple awards if, after considering the additional administrative costs, it is in the Laboratory’s best interest to do so.

(b) Any resultant award will be made to the responsible offeror whose proposal contains the combination of those criteria offering the best overall value to Argonne. This will be determined by comparing the difference in cost to Argonne. Price and price related factors will not be scored or adjectively rated.

(c) In making a final selection, Argonne is more concerned with obtaining superior technical, or management features, than with making an award at the lowest cost to Argonne. However, Argonne will not make an award at a significantly higher overall cost to Argonne to achieve slightly superior technical or management features. TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS AND COST OR PRICING ARE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE.

(d) Offerors should remember that when making trade-off decisions during proposal evaluations, Argonne will give preference to a contractor that demonstrates a high degree of expertise through past performance records, experience, and overall project quality; rather than, relatively small price savings.

7.

Award

(a) Argonne may award a contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussion. Therefore, each initial quotation should contain the bidder’s best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint.

Argonne may accept any item or group of items of an offer, unless the offeror qualifies the offer by specific limitations. Unless otherwise provided in this solicitation, offers may be submitted for quantities less than those specified. Argonne reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity offered, at the unit cost or prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the offer. It is the Laboratory’s intent to award two (2) BPAs which would provide for the issuance of individual Task Orders (TO)/calls. TOs/calls will be rotated between or competed amongst the BPA holders.

(c) Neither financial data submitted with an offer, nor representation concerning facilities or financing, will form a part of the resulting contract. However, if the resulting contract contains a clause providing for price reduction for defective cost or pricing data, the contract price will be subject to reduction if cost or pricing data furnished is incomplete, inaccurate, or not current.

8.

Submission of Offers

(a) Proposals are due by COB 5:00pm CST DECEMBER 19 defined on Page 1 of the Enclosure 2 “Request for Quotation” , dated December 9, 2024.

********Offers and modification thereof shall be submitted by the following method:

(1) Electronic submittal. Electronic Mail will be (1) addressed to mmurtaugh@anl.gov and (2) the subject line must identify the Argonne solicitation number and the name of the offeror.

The following documents must be fully executed by a person authorized to legally bind the Offeror:

Booklet of Representations and Certifications – ANL-70B

ANL-70 Request for Quotation

Completed LPTA Form

Incorporated Addendums (where applicable)

(c) Item samples, if required, must be submitted within the time specified for receipt of offers. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, these samples shall be (1) submitted at no expense to Argonne and (2) returned at the sender’s request and expense, unless they are destroyed during pre-award testing.

9.

Late Submissions

Proposals received after the date and time specified may be rejected by Argonne without further review.

10.

Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data Offerors or quoters who include in their proposals or quotations data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by Argonne except for evaluation purposes, shall—

(a) Mark the title page with the following legend:

"This proposal or quotation includes data that shall not be disclosed outside Argonne and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed—in whole or in part—for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal or quotation. If, however, a contract is awarded to this offeror or quoter as a result of—or in connection with—the submission of this data, Argonne shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit Argonne's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets (insert numbers or other identification of sheets)"; and

(b) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict the following legend:

"Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal or quotation."

11.

Acknowledgment of Amendments to Solicitations Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (a) by signing and returning the amendment; (b) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on the form for submitting an offer; or (c) by electronic mail. Argonne must receive the acknowledgment by the time and at the place specified for receipt of offers.