Request for Quotation.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION 1333ND24QNB640661

Liquid Chromatography System

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 – Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested, and a separate written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued under the authority of FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotations (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2024-06, effective 8/29/2024.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The small business size standard is 1,000 employees. This request will be a Brand Name Only acquisition. This solicitation is a 100% small business set-aside.

The Surface and Trace Chemical Analysis Group (STCAG) of the Materials Measurements Science Division (MMSD) of the Materials Measurement Laboratory (MML) requires a liquid chromatography system to replace an existing system coupled to a Thermo Fisher Scientific TSQ Quantis-Plus mass spectrometer. The system to be replaced is a Thermo Fisher Ultimate3000 liquid chromatography. An upgraded liquid chromatography system will enable the group to continue research with trace level identification and quantification of inorganic and organic compounds critical to trace contraband detection and forensic science programs. It will also allow for more reproducible, and more rapid quantification of compounds than is achievable using the existing aging system.

STCAG has significant research efforts in the fields of forensic science and homeland security. A major foci of these efforts surrounds development, evaluation, and quantification of standard test materials (TMs) for a suite of trace detection technologies. Another is the quantification of trace level drug residues in operational environments.

Responsible quoters shall provide pricing for the following brand name liquid chromatography system. All equipment must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award.

This is a Brand Name Only procurement:

Description Model# Vanquish Flex w/DAD Detectors VH-D10-A

The Government has identified the Vanquish Flex System, as the sole instrument capable of seamless integration with existing mass spectrometers and software. Given the nature of work and the need for rapid, accurate analyses, there is a need for the liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems to be operated by a single software and computing system. The need to redevelop and re-validate analytical methods for non-thermo systems would mean the entire system cannot be used for routine analysis of samples, resulting in a generation of sample backlog and lack of time-sensitive generated information. This would significantly impact the Groups Rapid Drug Analysis and Research program which, provides public health entities across the country near real-time information on changes in the illicit drug supply so that drug overdose prevention efforts are in a better position. Therefore, the Vanquish system is the only system that can meet NIST’s needs.

DELIVERY

The instrument must be delivered within 60 calendar days of award. the instrument will be shipped F.O.B Destination to:

The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) 100 Bureau Drive, Building 217, Room 251 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

FOB DESTINATION MEANS: The Contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The Government intends to award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Quoter whose quotation, conforming to the solicitation is the lowest priced, technically acceptable quotation.

Technically acceptable means that the Contractor provides a liquid chromatography system, meeting the specifications within the requirements document, and the requirements of the line item. If a contractor does not indicate how its proposed system meets certain requirements, NIST will determine it does not.

NIST intends to evaluate quotes and issues a contract based on the initial quotes received. Therefore, the Contractor’s initial quote should contain the Contractor’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint. NIST Reserves the right to request revised quotes from, or negotiate final contract terms with, one or more, but not all, Contractors, if later determined by the Contracting Office to be necessary.

Quoter’s must address each specification in the requirements document, and clearly demonstrate that the commercial items quoted meet each specification.

REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS

Contractors shall submit the following:

1. For the purpose of evaluating Technical Capability – Documentation including system requirements that confirms the Contractor has demonstrated the ability to deliver the requirements of the Liquid Chromatography System. Contractors must include a copy of the quoted manufacturers system specifications.

2. All equipment must be New. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Contractors shall provide a Firm-Fixed price quotation for the following line item(s):

• Firm-Fixed Price: Delivery of One (1) Liquid Chromatography System, meeting all specifications in accordance with the statement of requirements document, inclusive of F.O.B Destination, Installation, Training & Warranty $__________________total firm-fixed price.

• OPTION I: Firm-Fixed Price: Maintenance & Service, meeting all specifications in accordance with the statement of requirements document.

• OPTION II: Firm-Fixed Price: Maintenance & Service, meeting all specifications in

• OPTION III: Firm-Fixed Price: Maintenance & Service, meeting all specifications in

• OPTION IV: Firm-Fixed Price: Maintenance & Service, meeting all specifications in

3. A complete version of all required solicitation provisions (see attached provisions/clauses document – required submissions highlighted in blue.

4. If the Contractor objects to any of the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation, the contract shall state, “The terms and conditions in this solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following.”

[Contractor shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s)].

It is the sole responsibility of the contractor to identify in their quote any exceptions to the terms and conditions of the solicitation. If the contractor does not include such a statement, the submission of a quotation in response to this solicitation will be regarded as the contractor’s acceptance of the Government’s terms and conditions for inclusion into the resultant purchase order.

5. Quoter’s shall provide an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) for the System for Award Management (SAM) registration. Quoter’s must have an active registration at www.SAM.gov to submit a quotation.

Please note that this procurement IS NOT being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC).

If a contractor submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price. However, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the contractor’s FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation;

DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

E-mail quotations are required. All quotations must be submitted via e-mail to Tish Walker, Contract Specialist at latish.walker@nist.gov Submission must be received not later than 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on 9/11/2024. A quotation shall be considered received when it is received in the electronic inbox of Tish Walker, not later than the date and time identified herein.

All questions regarding this notice must be submitted via e-mail to latish.walker@nist.gov one week prior to the expiration of the solicitation. Questions submitted after this date may not be addressed by the Government prior to the quotation submission deadline.

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES:

The clauses and provisions applicable to this solicitation can be found under Applicable Clauses & http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:latish.walker@nist.gov mailto:latish.walker@nist.gov

Provisions. The full text of a FAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at www.acquisition.gov/far. The full text of a CAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/acquistion_management/policy/.

ATTACHMENTS:

The following attachments apply to this solicitation:

1. Statement of Requirements

2. Applicable Clauses & Provisions http://www.acquisition.gov/far http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/acquistion_management/policy/