NIH-NINDS-CSS-21-009457.pdf

STREAMLINED SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

COMPETITIVE

Title: Brand Name or Equal: Lasers for Multiphoton Microscope

Introductory Statement

(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.

Solicitation Number and Authority

(ii) The solicitation number is NIH-NINDS-CSS-21-009457 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).

This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplif ied Acquisition Procedures and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items and is not expected to exceed the simplif ied acquisition threshold. This acquisition is being conducted using full and open competition with no set-aside restrictions. As a result, all interested, qualified, and responsible entities may submit a quotation.

It is the Government’s intent to award a purchase order using these procedures. Any quotations submitted MUST conform to the specifications contained in the RFQ and Attachment 1 - Purchase Description.

The Government intends to award a single, Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) purchase order without discussions. Therefore, it is important that your initial quotation include your most favorable terms from both a price and technical standpoint. All quotations MUST conform to the instructions and specifications contained in the solicitation and Purchase Description to be considered for award.

The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions at any point and with any Quoter(s) if it determines it to be in its best interest. The Government also reserves the right to award no purchase order depending on the quality of the quotations, the availability of funding, and the continued existence of the requirement.

Applicable Federal Acquisition Circular

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-07, dated August 11, 2021.

NAICS Code and Small Business Standard

(iv) The associated NAICS code is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Description of Requirement

(v) The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s (NINDS) Spatial

Navigation and Memory Unit (SNMU) Laboratory has a requirement for two fixed-wavelength (920 nm and 1064 nm) compact femtosecond lasers that are brand name or equal to Coherent Inc.’s Axon 920-1 TPC and Axon 1064-1 TPC. The Equipment will be used by SNMU to perform research studies focusing on the synaptic plasticity in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) during spatial learning.

Please see Attachment 1 - Purchase Description for more information.

Essential Characteristics

(vi) To satisfy the program office’s requirements, the Equipment must have the minimum salient features:

• Simultaneous laser outputs at two wavelengths: 920nm and 1064nm

• Integrated dispersion precompenstation of 920nm laser: 0-22000 fs2

• Integrated dispersion precompenstation of 1064nm laser: 0-13000 fs2

• Average power: 800 mw

• Pulse duration: < 150 fs

• Repetition rate: 80 MHz

• Beam mode: M2<1.3

• Beam asymmetry: 0.8 to 1.2

• Beam diameter: 1.2 ± 0.2 mm

• Power stability: ± 0.5%

• Noise (%): <0.25

• Polarization: >100:1 vertical

• Manipulation rise/fall time: <1000ns

• Contrast ratio: > 1000:1

• Laser head dimensions: 212 x 318 x 62 mm

• Umbilical length: 7m

• Laser power supply dimensions: 3U, 19” rack mount unit

• Operating temperature range: 19 to 26°C

• Relative humidity: <85. Non-condensing

• Power requirements: 100/240 VAC

• Control interface: RS-232 or USB

• Synch output: BNC, 50% duty cycle, 3.5 V into 50 Ω

• Analog power control 0-5 V

• Fully integrated power modulation via fast AOM control

• Built-in total power control

Responses to this solicitation must include enough information to establish that the Quoter is capable of providing the required Equipment. Accordingly, the quotation shall include: descriptions and product/catalog numbers for all line items; all unit prices, list prices, and shipping and handling prices; all delivery terms (including delivery date and F.O.B. Point); each item’s place of manufacture; any prompt payment discount terms;

and all other information or factors that may be relevant to the award determination.

Additionally, the total price of the quotation, including all items, options, costs, and any applicable taxes, MUST be clearly indicated.

Required Information

(vii) Responses to this RFQ must include enough information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the required supplies and services. Quoters shall provide the following for each line item in their response, as applicable: (a) part and serial number; (b) part description; (c) period of warranty; (d) place of manufacture; (e) total price; (f) any applicable discounts; and (g) any other information that is relevant to the award decision.

Additionally, the following information shall be included on the first page of Quoter’s response:

1. Company’s Full Name and Address

2. Company’s DUNS Number and CAGE Code

3. Name, Telephone Number, and Email Address of Person Authorized to Provide

Quote

Delivery Requirements

(vii) The Contractor shall deliver and install all Equipment within 60 days after receipt of order (ARO) at the National Institutes of Health, 35 Convent Drive, Building 35, Room 1C-1006, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Delivery must be freight on board (FOB) destination and include inside delivery. On-site training must take place within two (2) weeks of equipment installation.

The Contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician to perform setup, installation, and an on-site (1)-day training session for 10 staff members.

Quotation Format

(ix) It is recommended that all Quoters structure their quotations using the following approximate format:

Coherent Axon 920-1 TPC (includes delivery, setup and installation, on-site training on Equipment use for up to 10 NINDS personnel, and Equipment warranty for 12 months or 14 months from the date of Delivery if installation is delayed through no fault of Company, whichever occurs first) Total Price : $____

Coherent Axon 1064-1 TPC (includes delivery, setup and installation, on-site training on Equipment use for up to 10 NINDS personnel, and Equipment warranty for 12 months or 14 months from the date of Delivery if installation is delayed through no fault of Company, whichever occurs first) Total Price : $____

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-1

(x) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-2

(xi) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following evaluation factor information is provided as an addendum:

(a) The Government will evaluate your quotation and conformance to the RFQ’s requirements. This evaluation will include all stated terms, conditions, and other information required in this RFQ, and a determination that the Quoter is responsible.

(b) The Government will award a purchase order on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis, which requires that award be made to the lowest-priced quotation that meets or exceeds the acceptability standards for non-cost factors. A technically acceptable quotation must include Equipment that complies with the essential characteristics specified in the RFQ and Purchase Description as well as all other requirements of the RFQ.

(c) If the Quoter (1) fails or refuses to assent to any term, (2) proposes additional terms, or (3) fails to submit or omits material information required by this RFQ, then the Government may consider your quotation UNACCEPTABLE.

(d) The Government will evaluate quotations 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).

The Government must then determine that the total price is fair and reasonable, taking into consideration any price reductions offered by the Quoter.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-3

(xii) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certif ications – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-4

(xiii) The FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-5

(xiv) FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The specific clauses of FAR clause 52.212-5 that apply to this acquisition are listed in Attachment 2 - Additional Terms and Conditions.

Applicability of FAR clause 52.212-6

(xiv) FAR clause at 52.212-6, Brand Name or Equal, applies to this acquisition. Please see Attachment 1 - Purchase Description for more information.

Additional Contract Requirements

(xv) Equipment must be warranted to be free from material and workmanship defects under normal use and service for a period of at least twelve (12) months OR fourteen (14) months from the date of Delivery if installation is delayed through no fault of Company, whichever occurs first. The Quoter shall provide repairs as necessary during the warranty period and will be responsible for all parts, labor, and associated travel costs.

The Quoter shall include its Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), Taxpayer Identif ication Number (TIN), and certif ication of business size in its response, and have an active SAM registration, which can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

The Quoter shall complete and sign the Offeror Representations and Certifications in Attachment 3 and submit same with its quote.

Finally, the successful Quoter shall submit all invoices in accordance with Attachment 4

– Standard Invoice Instructions. Payment of invoices will be made in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act (31 U.S.C. 3903).

Applicability of Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS)

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

Response Deadline

(xvii) All responses must be received by September 10, 2021 at 02:30 pm EDT and reference solicitation number NIH-NINDS-CSS-21-009457. Responses shall be submitted electronically to Jeremy Tran at jeremy.tran@nih.gov.

Fax responses will NOT be accepted.

Solicitation Point of Contact

(xviii) Jeremy Tran, Contract Specialist

Phone: 301-827-5161 Email: jeremy.tran@nih.gov

Any questions regarding this RFQ must be submitted electronically to the listed point of contact. Fax submissions will NOT be accepted.

Commercial Provisions/Clauses

(xix) Please be advised that the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a Federal agency. Your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions may include provisions that are customarily found in the commercial sector, but which are not appropriate for a contract with a Federal agency. Specifically, NIH considers any provision in your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions to be inappropriate and unenforceable that:

(1) Contravenes a right granted NIH under U.S. copyright law (e.g., fair use, right to archive, copying for interlibrary loan),

(2) Violated the Federal Acquisition Regulation or other Federal law (e.g., Antideficiency Act, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law), http://www.sam.gov/ https://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 mailto:jeremy.tran@nih.gov

(3) Departs from reasonable consumer expectations, or

(4) Violates fundamental public policy.

NIH shall assume that you agree with the statements herein if you submit a quotation and accept NIH's purchase order.

IMPORTANT

(xx) This RFQ does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of a quotation or to contract for supplies or services.

Attachments

(xxi) Attachment 1 – Purchase Description

Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions

Attachment 3 – Offeror Representations and Certif ications

Attachment 4 – Standard Invoice Instructions