Request for Proposal .doc

RFP No. 1-B156-P-00400-00

Debra Dzialo Procurement 2 Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Procurement Department

Argonne National Laboratory

9700 South Cass Avenue, Bldg. 201

Lemont, IL 60439

E-Mail: ddzialo@anl.gov

September 10, 2021

TO ALL PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS:

Subject:

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 1-B156-P-00400-00 based on Argonne National Laboratory Scope of Work for ANL Smart Labs Test and Balancing Services , dated August 17, 2021.

Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) under a prime contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has the responsibility of obtaining the item(s) which are the subject of this Request for Proposal (RFP). You are invited to furnish a price proposal for meeting this requirement. Your attention is directed to the enclosed documents which constitute requirements for this RFP and should be fully complied with as indicated.

Enclosure No. 1:

Contract Articles and General Provisions applicable to any resultant contract. These include the following documents:

A.

Sample Labor Hour Contract.

B.

Appendix “A,” Argonne Terms and Conditions for Labor Hour and Time and Materials Contracts, ANL-528, dated January 21, 2019.

C.

Appendix "B", Argonne National Laboratory Statement of Work entitled, “ANL Smart Labs Test and Balancing Services”, dated August 17, 2021.

D.

Appendix “C”, Pricing Schedule, dated TBD.

E.

Appendix "D-8", Intellectual Property Provisions, Supplies and Services Requiring Delivery of Data, dated June 2020.

F.

High Risk Work by Contractors on The Argonne Site Supplemental Conditions, dated June 2, 2020.

G.

Exhibit “E” - Sample Specific Assignment.

H.

Minimum Wages Under Executive Order 13658, dated 06/26/2015.

I. Service Contract Labor Standards, dated 06/26/2015.

J.

Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards – Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts), dated 07/21/21.

K.

Register of Wage Determinations Under the Service Contract Act, Revision No. 17, dated 5/21/2021.

L.

Service Contract Act (SCA) Poster entitled “Employee Rights On Government Contracts,” WHD Publication 1313 (Revised April 2009).

Enclosure No. 2:

Pre-Award Information and Booklet of Representations and Certifications, ANL-70B, dated April 22, 2021. (Complete and Return).

Enclosure No. 3:

Pricing Proposal Format, dated June 16, 2021 (Complete and Return).

Enclosure No. 4:

Evaluation Criteria, dated June 18, 2021.

Enclosure No. 5:

Instructions for Preparation of Proposals and Notices to Offerors.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Your immediate requirement is to provide a response concerning your price estimate with substantiation and background information, completion of the representation/certifications booklet, and submission of changes or waiver/deletion requests with basis of such request (as applicable; if any). Based upon your submission(s) and determination by this office for any subsequent award, a potential contract similar to that transmitted to you for information purposes, may be transmitted to you.

For ease of evaluation of the proposals by the Laboratory, it is requested that your proposal be segregated into three (3) separate packages: (1) Technical proposal; (2) Business/Management proposal; and (3) Cost/Price proposal, including all non-technical portions of your proposal. Detailed instructions for preparation of proposals are outlined in Enclosure No. 5. Enclosure No. 4 sets forth proposal evaluation criteria and their relative importance.

A.

General Terms and Conditions

Enclosure No. 1 represents the anticipated contractual vehicle, including standard terms, provisions, and scope of work. This enclosure was provided for your information and review. Unless notified during any subsequent negotiations, these documents may be included in any resultant agreement. Any request for deviation or waiver from terms or conditions provided herein must be addressed in writing with your response. Your request must specify the particular term or condition that you desire altered, changed, or deleted. Identify the basis of your request.

B.

Representations and Certifications

Enclosure No. 2 is a questionnaire of Pre-Award Information and Representations and Certifications Booklet. This booklet must be completed in its entirety, signed, dated and returned with your offer. This booklet is considered essential and no award will be issued without receipt of a properly executed questionnaire.

SAM REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT

The System for Award Management (SAM) is the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS. Per Part 4.11 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), all prospective contractors shall be registered in the SAM database prior to award of a contract or agreement. Please assure that you will be able to register your entity (if not already) in order for an award to be finalized. There is NO fee to register for this site.

C. Rights in Proposal Data Offerors should indicate on the fore page, and all subsequent pages of their proposal, those sections, paragraphs, or areas which they consider to be proprietary or otherwise considered confidential (see enclosure entitled, “Representations and Certifications,” second page Notice, and page 14). Argonne assumes no liability for disclosure or use of unmarked data, and may use or disclose such data for any purpose. Unless restricted, information submitted in response to this RFP and subsequently used for procurement purposes may become subject to public disclosure pursuant to the provisions of the “Freedom of Information Act.”

D. Cost/Pricing Data

Enclosure No. 3 is the pricing format to be used when submitting your cost proposal for a base period of one year and two (2) one-year option periods.

E. Evaluation Criteria Enclosure No. 4 sets forth proposal evaluation criteria and their relative importance. It is anticipated that a Contract will be awarded for the services set forth in this RFP. See RFP Instructions enclosure.

F. Instructions and Notices to Offerors

Enclosure No. 5 provides instructions for preparation of your proposal. The instructions should be followed very carefully, as failure to fully address or comply with any of the essential requirements may result in rejection of your offer as unacceptable.

G.

Environmental Safety & Health

Note that this procurement has been determined to be High Risk by Argonne’s Worker Safety and Health Group. As such, you will be required to comply with requirements as outlined in Enclosure 1.F.. If you are the successful offeror, be aware that, prior to beginning any work, your firm will be required to submit proof of appropriate insurance, as earmarked in Enclosure 1.F.. It is noted that insurance shall be maintained during the life of the contract. All policies shall provide by appropriate language that UChicago Argonne LLC, the University of Chicago, and the United States Government are additional insureds, that the insurance afforded by such policies is primary insurance, and that all rights of the insurer for contribution from other insurers of UChicago Argonne LLC, the University of Chicago and the United States Government are waived.

H.

Service Contract Labor Standards It is recognized that some, or all of the categories of employees to be furnished under this contract are “service employees”. For your information, Enclosure No. 1.K. is the applicable Register of Wage Determinations which provides various labor categories and minimum hourly wage rates. Please be advised that the current Determination was obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor regarding minimum monetary wages and fringe benefits that must be paid and provided to such employees under the Service Contract Act, that it will be made a part of the contract, and the Contractor agrees to pay, as a minimum, the wages and fringe benefits set forth therein in accordance with the provisions of the Service Contract Act effective from the start date of the contract. However, labor category for the Project Manager is deemed Bona Fide Professional and exempt from the Service Contract Labor Standards.

I.

Authorized Contracting Representatives and Key Personnel Proposals should identify the proposed key individual(s) performing the project, and the individual(s), (name, title, and telephone number) who will represent the establishment in any ensuing negotiations.

J.

Submission, Modification, Revision, And Withdrawal Of Proposals (1) Electronic submittal of your proposal is highly suggested and preferred. The first page of the proposal must show--

(i) The solicitation number;

(ii) The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the offeror (and electronic address if available); and

(iii) Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign the proposal. Proposals signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent's authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office.

(2) Late proposals and revisions.

Any proposal received at the office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers will not be considered unless it is received before award is made and it is in the best interest of the Laboratory.

(3) Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in English and in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise permitted by the solicitation.

(4) Offerors may submit modifications to their proposals at any time before the solicitation closing date and time, and may submit modifications in response to an amendment, or to correct a mistake at any time before award.

(5) Proposals may be withdrawn at any time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Laboratory Procurement Official.

K.

Correspondence Submissions, Communications, and Due Date

Explanation to Prospective Offerors: Any prospective offeror desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, statement of work, etc. must request it in writing by 12:00 p.m. Wednesday September 15, 2021, to allow a reply to be provided to all prospective offerors. Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning a solicitation will be furnished promptly to all prospective offerors as written amendments to the solicitation if such information is necessary for submission of an offer, or if the lack of the information would be prejudicial against any other prospective offeror. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of a contract will not be binding.

Your proposal shall be submitted via email to ddzialo@anl.gov by 3:00 PM CST on Wednesday September 22, 2021 or sooner, if possible.

Argonne National Laboratory

BLDG. 201 OCF

9700 S. Cass Ave.

Lemont, IL 60439

Attention:

Debra Dzialo Procurement Specialist II

Reference:

RFP No. 1-B156-P-00400-00 Your proposal should be effective for a period of one hundred-twenty (120) days from the receipt of your proposal. All communications or questions of a contractual nature related to this RFP should be directed to Argonne in writing, preferably by email to Debra Dzialo (email: ddzialo@anl.gov). Technical questions will be forwarded by appropriate Argonne Procurement Personnel to cognizant Argonne Technical Personnel.

L.

Award Authority

The Laboratory reserves the right to accept or reject all proposals if that is determined to be in the best interest of the Laboratory. Award may be made without discussion; and hence, your proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms. Proposed award is based on a continuing program requirement and the issuance of obligational authority from the Procurement Department of the Laboratory. Any subsequent award issued by the Laboratory shall be constituted in writing from authorized representatives of the Procurement Department of Argonne National Laboratory. No other representatives of the Laboratory are authorized to issue contracts or agreements or bind the Laboratory to any form of agreement or understanding. The Authorized Laboratory Procurement Official is the only individual who can legally commit the Laboratory to the expenditure of funds in connection with this proposed procurement.

M.

Proposal Preparation Cost

This Request for Proposal does not commit the Laboratory to pay any cost for the preparation and submission of a proposal.

N.

Period of Performance

One-year base plus two one-year option periods.

O.

Options

A Total Proposal Amount is being requested as well as a breakout of the proposal into separate prices for a one-year Base and Optional years as follows:

1. Option Work:

Base one-year work includes all the labor and supervision necessary to complete all work as delineated in the Statement of Work entitled, “ANL Smart Labs Test and Balancing Services” dated May 7, 2021, for a full description of the base work.

2. Option No. 1

Optional year work includes all the labor and supervision necessary to complete all work as delineated in the Statement of Work entitled, “ANL Smart Labs Test and Balancing Services” dated May 7, 2021, for a full description of the base work.

3. Option No. 2

Optional year work includes all the labor and supervision necessary to complete all work as delineated in the Statement of Work entitled, “ANL Smart Labs Test and Balancing Services” dated May 7, 2021, for a full description of the base work.

Evaluation of Options: The Laboratory will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total cost for all options to the total cost for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Laboratory to exercise the option(s).

All questions, comments, and correspondence should be directed to Debra Dzialo (email: ddzialo@anl.gov).

Sincerely, Debra Dzialo

Procurement Specialist II

Procurement Department

DD/dd

Enclosures

U. S. Department of Energy Laboratory Managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC

U. S. Department of Energy Laboratory Managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC