RFQ_AMBIS 2225904 Amendment 1.pdf

Request for Quotation (RFQ) Solicitation ID: RFQ-NIAID-24-2225904

Short-Read Next-Generation DNA Sequencing System– Brand Name or Equal Amendment #1

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 12.6 “Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items”, as applicable, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; (a written solicitation will not be issued) and quotations (quotes) are being requested. The solicitation number is RFQ-NIAID-24-2225904 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).

This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2024-06 Effective August 29, 2024.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 1,000 in employees. This requirement is not set-aside for small business. The Government anticipates making a single award Firm Fixed Price (FFP) purchase order. By submission of a quote, the Offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee shall be registered and viewable in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment resulting from this solicitation (www.sam.gov).

STATEMENT OF NEED

The proposed purchase is for Brand Name or Equal products/services.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Laboratory for Viral Diseases (LVD) is seeking to acquire a highly accurate, next-generation sequencing instrument, which will enhance the Quantitative Virology and Evolution Unit’s (QVEU) capacity for rare variant discovery and will also result in better sensitivity with up to 4-fold less sequencing. The intended outcome of this acquisition is to procure a high performance next-generation DNA-sequencer. The system must have the characteristics outlined in the Statement of Need below.

This statement of needs is for the procurement of a benchtop short-read sequencing platform and a compatible instrument capable of producing on-flow cell clusters for single-end and paired-end sequencing applications. Specific requirements include:

• The system must allow high levels of accuracy (≥ 90% at a Next-Generation Sequencing quality score of Q40 or 1 error in 10,000 bases), resulting in an enhanced capacity for rare variant discovery and overall better sensitivity with less sequencing.

• The platform must have library conversion kits to enable the sequencing of existing P5/P7 libraries (Illumina-generated, currently used in the lab). This will allow researchers to use their existing libraries without having to re-prepare them.

• The system must be able to detect variants down to 0.001% without the use of unique molecular indices (UMIs) for error-correction in certain amplicon-based samples.

• The system’s software pipeline should preferably be designed to be compatible with existing short-read ecosystems and include optional on-board demultiplexing of barcoded samples.

• Sequencer dimensions must be no larger than (W x D x H): 37 in x 27 in x 30 in

• Cluster generator dimensions must be no larger than (W x D x H): 16 in x 26 in x 18 in.

• Preferred computation capabilities of Network connection of 1 Gbps o Instrument control computer with Windows 10 Enterprise operating system o Output file size of 80-110 GB.

• An analysis PC with preferred dimensions (W x D x H): 8 in x 18.4 in x 18.1 in

• Instrument installation must be included.

• Procurement must include on-site instrument and application training by a Field Applications

Specialist for a group of 10 researchers for up to 3 days. This training includes the necessary reagents and consumables.

• Procurement must include a warranty of at least 12 months.

• This requirement is being competed as Brand Name or Equal to the Onso system that is manufactured by Pacific Biosciences (Product Code 102-837-000 Onso System and 102-837-100 Onso Cluster Generator)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Delivery of equipment is preferred as soon as possible and required within 90 days after receipt of award – estimated September 27, 2024, through December 26, 2024.

SHIPPING/DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

Delivery location is FOB Destination: 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Building 33, Room 1E13C.4, Bethesda, Maryland 20892

QUOTATION INSTRUCTIONS

By submitting a quotation, the interested vendors are accepting that the government terms and conditions as outlined in this solicitation, shall prevail over the final award. All submitted quotations shall include:

1. Price(s) (unit price, extended price, total price)

2. Shipping fees

3. Manufacturing country of origin of the products, including components

4. Documentation demonstrating vendor is either the manufacturer or authorized distributor/reseller of the product(s)

5. Estimated date of delivery

6. Point of contact: name, phone number & email

7. Unique Entity ID (UEI) and cage code from active SAM.gov registration

8. Business size under NAICS 334516

9. Quotations of “equal” models must include documentation of meeting the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation and outlined in FAR 52.211-6 Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999) below.

Each response must clearly indicate the capability of the vendor to meet all specifications and requirements. The Government will evaluate only those quotes that fully meet the requirements as outlined above and respond to the solicitation instructions and requirements. Failure to furnish a full and complete quote as instructed will result in the Quoter’s response being considered non-responsive and will therefore be eliminated from further consideration and award.

If providing an equal product(s)/services(s), please supply descriptive data for evaluation purposes to determine the validity of how it is an EQUAL. The following FAR provision applies to this a solicitation FAR 52.211-6 Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999):

(a) If an item in this solicitation is identified as "brand name or equal," the purchase description reflects the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government’s needs. The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that "equal" products must meet are specified in the solicitation.

(b) To be considered for award, offers of "equal" products, including "equal" products of the brand name manufacturer, must-

(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;

(2) Clearly identify the item by-

(i) Brand name, if any; and

(ii) Make or model number;

(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and

(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the solicitation requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.

(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate "equal" products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer.

(d) Unless the offeror clearly indicates in its offer that the product being offered is an "equal" product, the offeror shall provide the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

(End of provision)

EVALUATION

The government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order to the responsible contractor as a result of this RFQ that will include the terms and conditions set forth herein. By submitting an offer in response to this RFQ, confirms acceptance that the government terms and conditions will prevail over the award. The award will be based on the following: the capability to meet the technical requirements and price.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO QUOTERS

Quoters are advised that the Government may share your information with non-government personnel who are assisting with the evaluation of quotes. The exclusive responsibility for source selection will reside with the Government. By submitting your quote, you will be consenting to disclosure of your quote to non-government personnel for purposes of evaluation.

ELECTRONIC INVOICING

The successful vendor may submit an invoice once a shipment is delivered. NIAID will only accept invoices for completed services and units that have been delivered to NIAID.

NIH is using a phased transition approach from the NIH Office of Financial Management (OFM) Electronic Invoice Submission instructions to the Department of Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). For contractors that have transitioned to IPP, the Contractor must submit invoices to the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) at https://www.ipp.gov. For contractors that have not transitioned to IPP, the Contractor shall submit invoices to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Office of Financial Management (OFM) via email at invoicing@nih.gov with a copy to the approving official until the Contractor has been notified of its transition to IPP.

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES

By submitting a quote in response to this solicitation, vendor is accepting the following terms and conditions:

The following FAR provisions apply to this acquisition:

FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items (SEP 2023)

FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (MAY 2024)

FAR 52.204-7 System for Award Management (OCT 2018) https://www.ipp.gov/ https://ofm.od.nih.gov/Pages/Home.aspx https://ofm.od.nih.gov/Pages/Home.aspx mailto:invoicing@nih.gov

(Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://www.sam.gov/ in accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items (Please ensure FAR 52.209-2 -- Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations--Representation. (Nov 2015) is updated in your SAM record)

FAR 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements – Representation (JAN 2017)

52.204–26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (OCT 2020) *** Must complete representation if attached to this solicitation- see attachment 52.204-26

FAR 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 this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/

The following FAR contract clauses apply to this acquisition:

FAR 52-212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (NOV 2022)

FAR 52-212.5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items (MAY 2024) *The applicable subparagraphs of FAR52.212-5 are included in the attachment to this posting.

FAR 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (MAR 2023)

FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (OCT 2018)

FAR 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (NOV 2021)

HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 2015) http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.acquisition.gov/

SPECIAL NOTICE TO QUOTERS