Instructions and Evalution Criteria - Basis for Award.pdf

Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, and Basis for Award

NB686000-24-00718

Attachment A

A. INSTRUCTIONS:

1. This is a competitive procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Subpart 12.6 – Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services and conducted under the authority of FAR 13.5 – Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services. The Government intends to award a firm-fixed price purchase order (PO) for the requirement.

2. Contractors shall submit their quotations in response to the Request for Quotation (RFQ) posting on SAM.gov by the date and time specified in the SAM.gov notice. The quotation shall contain, at a minimum, the information detailed below. If the quotation is missing any of the elements listed below, the quotation may be deemed unacceptable and may not be evaluated further.

3. The Contractor is required to meet all solicitation requirements, including terms and conditions, and representations and certifications. The Contractor must clearly identify any exception to the solicitation terms and conditions and provide a complete rationale.

B. QUOTATION PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, EVALUATION CRITERIA, AND

BASIS FOR AWARD:

1. The PO award will be made to the Contractor whose submission represents the best value to the Government. The Government may award to other than the lowest priced Contractor or other than the highest technically rated Contractor.

2. The evaluation procedures of FAR 13.106-2 shall be utilized for this procurement. The solicitation shall not be subject to the formal source selection procedures described in FAR Part 15.

3. The Government intends to award without exchanges, including discussions; however, the Government reserves the right to conduct exchanges, including discussions, if determined by the Contracting Officer (CO) to be necessary or beneficial to the Government. Therefore, the initial quotation should contain the Contractor’s best offer. The Government shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the Contractor submitting a quotation in response to this solicitation.

4. The Government will evaluate quotations against the following factors:

a. Factor 1 - Technical Approach

b. Factor 2 - Experience

c. Factor 3 – Price

5. Evaluation Factor Importance: When combined, all non-price factors (Factors 1 & 2) are approximately equal in importance to Factor 3 (Price).

6. A written notice of award or acceptance of a quotation e-mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful Quoter within the time for acceptance specified in the quotation, shall result in a binding agreement without further action by either party. Before the quotation’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept a quotation (or part of a quotation), unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

FACTOR 1: TECHNICAL APPROACH

a. Definition: The Contractor’s proposed solutions(s) to successfully fulfill the contract requirements.

b. Submittal Requirements: The Contractor shall submit technical approach and capability documentation which may include a narrative, charts, graphs, tables, drawings, product/service literature, and demonstrated authority to provide the necessary items and perform the required services identified in the Statement of Work (SOW). The documentation shall clearly describe, in sufficient detail, the Contractor’s authority, proposed items, resources, and methods to successfully fulfill the requirements including performance capability requirements, delivery/service schedules, warranties, and all other service requirement per the Request for Quote (RFQ) and SOW.

1) The Technical Quotation shall not exceed 6 single-sided pages (3 double-sided pages in total) using no smaller than 11-point font. Charts, graphs, tables, drawings, brochures, etc. do not count against the page limit.

2) Contractor submissions shall separately address the Preventative Maintenance (CLIN 0001) and the Service Call (CLIN 0002) portions of the requirements listed in the SOW.

Both shall address what services, parts, labor, etc. are included in the firm fixed pricing.

c. Basis of Evaluation: Evaluation of this factor is a subjective evaluation of the Contractor’s demonstrated resources, capability, and methods to meet all requirements. The Contractor’s submittals will be evaluated in terms of demonstrated understanding of the requirements and demonstrated capability to meet or exceed the requirements. This may include the authority to provide the required items/services, authority to provide maintenance and repair services, and the capability and method to successfully meet all requirements including but not limited to delivery/service schedule, installation, warrant, etc.

The Contractor’s technical approach/capabilities submittal will be evaluated to assess the Contractor’s expertise, capabilities, competencies, and risk to successfully perform the requirements of the SOW. A technical quotation which is primarily a copy-and-paste version of the SOW requirements will be deemed unacceptable without further review of the quotation for award.

FACTOR 2: EXPERIENCE

a. Definition: An assessment of the Contractor’s experience in terms of relevancy (similarity of scope, size, and complexity), as a means of evaluating the capability of the vendor to successfully meet the requirements of the SOW.

b. Submittal Requirements: The Contractor shall submit a maximum of three (3) projects which best demonstrate the Contractor’s experience performing relevant projects. Each project shall be submitted utilizing Attachment B – Relevant Experience Project Data Sheet. For all submitted projects, the description of the project shall clearly describe the scope of work performance and the relevancy to the project requirements for the RFQ.

A relevant project is defined as a project that is similar in size, scope, and complexity to that of the RFQ. Projects submitted for the Contractor must be completed within the past five (5) years of the date of issuance of the RFQ.

c. Basis of Evaluation: Evaluation of this factor is a subjective evaluation of the Contractor’s experience, in terms of relevancy, as a means of evaluating the capability of the Contractor to successfully meet the requirements of the RFQ.

FACTOR 3: PRICE

a. Quotation Instructions: The Contractor shall complete and submit one price quotation.

Price quotations shall include the information requirements identified as follows:

(a) A pricing sheet to explain the cost breakout in terms of major categories of the quotation (Preventative Maintenance Agreement versus Request for Service NTE $40,000) deemed necessary for determining price fair and reasonable. If a Contractor proposes a different “NTE” amount for CLIN 0002, please communicate that, and the rationale for the proposed change, in the quote submission.

(b) The quotation shall provide a total firm fixed price. The Government intends to award a firm fixed price PO, the breakdown is to assist with determining the price fair and reasonable.

b. Basis of Evaluation: Price will be evaluated based on the total price. The Government has requested, and shall evaluate, each Contractor’s detailed cost breakdown to determine the reasonableness and completeness of the price quotation. One or more of the following techniques will be used to ensure a fair and reasonable price:

(a) Comparison of quoted prices/costs received in response to the solicitation.

(b) Comparison of quoted prices/costs with the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

(c) Comparison of quoted prices/costs with available historical information.

(d) A price realism analysis will not be conducted; Price will be evaluated for reasonableness.

(e) Pricing will initially be evaluated separately from technical factors and used as a trade-off between the technical factors as related to the scope of work. See relative importance.

C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR QUOTATION SUBMITTAL:

1. The Government reserves the right to eliminate from consideration for award any, or all, Contractor quotes at any time prior to the award of the purchase order.

2. The Government intends to evaluate quotations and award a PO without discussions with Contractors. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions with one or more Contractors if the CO later determines them to be necessary.

3. Quotations, where one or more non-price factors are determined to be “Unacceptable”, will be deemed as unawardable. No further evaluation of the quote will be completed for any factor, including price.

4. Inquiries/questions regarding the RFQ shall be submitted electronically via e-mail to aaron.ritter@nist.gov no later than Thursday, April 18, 2024, 10:00 AM (MT).

5. Quotations in response to the RFQ shall be submitted electronically to aaron.ritter@nist.gov no later than the date specified within the SAM.gov posting.

6. The Government shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the Contractor submitting a quotation in response to this RFQ.

(End of Provision) mailto:aaron.ritter@nist.gov mailto:aaron.ritter@nist.gov