SB1341-16-RQ-0512.docx

SB1341-16-RQ-0512

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 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. THE SOLICITATION IS BEING ISSUED USING SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-87.

1352.215-72 INQUIRIES (APR 2010)

Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing, via email, to both the Contract Specialist (joni.laster@nist.gov) and the Contracting Officer (Patrick.Staines@nist.gov). Questions shall be received no later than seven (7) calendar days after the issuance date of this solicitation. All responses to the questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, on the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (end of provision) The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 with a small business size standard of 1000 employees.

This acquisition is being competed under full and open competition.

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) nanoscience user facility, the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST), develops innovative nanoscale measurement and fabrication capabilities to support users from industry, academia, and government. The CNST is seeking to acquire one (1) 4 channel, time-correlated, single-photon counting (TCSPC) unit, which will be incorporated into a multipurpose instrument for fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). The instrumentation will allow for complex, higher-order fluorescent measurements (i.e. multicolor FCS) as well as direct comparisons between scanning FLIM (this instrument) to a state of the art wide-field, fluorescent lifetime instrument currently being built and tested. The flexibility provided by a 4 channel TCSPC unit will allow an entire portfolio of time-correlated measurements be developed at the CNST as a resource accessible to facility users.

All items must be new. Prototypes, first articles, demonstration models, used, refurbished or otherwise developmental systems, will not be considered for award.

All offerors shall provide a quotation for the following line item:

• CLIN 0001 (Firm-Fixed Price): One (1) Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting System which shall meet or exceed the following minimum specifications:

GENERAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

1. TIMING RESOLUTIONS. The TCSPC unit shall have timing resolutions at or better than described below.

a. Time channel width ≤ 1 ps in time.

b. Electrical time resolution root-mean-square (RMS) shall be ≤ 12 ps

A technically acceptable unit must meet all of the above specifications (a & b), however, a higher technical rating will be given to systems with shorter electrical time resolution.

2. INPUT CHANNELS. The TCSPC unit shall have separate 4 channels for data acquisition with the features described below.

a. Each channel must have a separate, independent input channel for a laser trigger, i.e. 4 signal channels, 4 laser trigger inputs.

b. Ability to set a global trigger.

c. Acceptable trigger input shall be negative or inverters shall be supplied.

d. Each channel must have the ability to have a sustained input rate of ≥ 5 MHz.

e. Each channel must have saturated input rate of ≥ 10 MHz.

3. SEPARATE UNIT. The TCSPC unit must function as a separate component and not need to be installed into a computer taking multiple PCI/PCI-e slots. The use of one or two PCI/PCI-e slots to interface with a computer is acceptable.

4. SOFTWARE. The TCSPC unit shall include all the software required for running the TCSPC and a scanning piezo stage (see 6 for specifics on scanning). The software shall have basic lifetime fitting, deconvolution analysis and histogramming functions.

5. CONSTANT FRACTION DISCRIMINATOR. The TCSPC unit shall have an adjustable constant fraction discriminator.

a. The constant fraction discriminator shall be adjustable for every input, i.e. signal and laser-trigger inputs.

b. The constant fraction discriminator shall be adjustable via software.

6. SCANNING ABILITY. The TCSPC unit must have the ability to drive a 3-axis piezo scanner.

a. The piezo stage driver shall be compatible with common piezo stages, e.g. Mad City Labs, Physik Instrumente or nPoint.

b. Image size, pixel size and pixel dwell time shall be user-selectable and adjustable.

7. DATA ACCESSIBILITY. The TCSPC unit software shall allow saving of the captured data in non-proprietary formats.

8. LASER. The TCSPC unit shall include a pulsed laser with a wavelength within the range of 478nm to 498nm.

a. Repetition rate shall be ≥ 40 MHz

b. Average output power (free space or fiber coupled) must be ≥ 0.5 mW

c. Pulse width must be ≤ 100 ps A technically acceptable laser must meet all of the above specifications (a-c), however, a higher technical rating will be given to equipment that is capable of the following exceedances:

a. lasers that allow for selecting multiple repetition rate options

b. lasers that offer a higher average power

c. lasers that offer a shorter pulse width or lasers that combine shorter pulse widths with higher average powers

CALIBRATION

Prior to delivery, the contractor shall provide, in PDF format, via e-mail, the Government with TCSPC unit’s performance data for saturated count rate, sustained count rate, time channel width, electrical time resolution and electrical time RMS. All performance data shall adhere to the previously mentioned characteristics. Performance metrics for the TCSPC unit shall be for the unit NIST receives. Performance data for the TCSPC unit shall be supplied before the scheduled delivery date.

DOCUMENTATION

The Contractor shall provide an operator’s manual describing operation and care for the offered system. An electronic copy is required.

DELIVERY:

FOB Destination delivery terms are requested. Delivery shall be completed within twelve (12) weeks from date of an award. The Contractor shall deliver all equipment to NIST, Building 301, Shipping and Receiving, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640.

WARRANTY:

The Contractor shall warrant the entire system for a period of at least one year.

During the warranty period, the Contractor shall bear all costs, including shipping, travel, and labor, to complete the repairs and/or replacement of any defects.

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES:

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are hereby incorporated by reference. All FAR clauses may be viewed at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html.

PROVISIONS

52.204-7, System for Award Management 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting 52.204-17, Ownership or Control of Offeror 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (March 2015) The offeror shall complete only paragraphs (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) Web site accessed through http://www.acquisition.gov . If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (p) of this provision and provide a written submission.

52.225-4 -- Buy American -- Free Trade Agreements – Israeli Trade Act Certificate.

Buy American -- Free Trade Agreements--Israeli Trade Act Certificate (May 2014)

(a) The offeror certifies that each end product, except those listed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this provision, is a domestic end product and that for other than COTS items, the offeror has considered components of unknown origin to have been mined, produced, or manufactured outside the United States. The terms “Bahrainian, Moroccan, Omani, Panamanian, or Peruvian end product,” “commercially available off-the-shelf item,” “component,” “domestic end product,” “end product,” “foreign end product,” “Free Trade Agreement country,” “Free Trade Agreement country end product,” “Israeli end product,” and “United States” are defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled “Buy American—Free Trade Agreements—Israeli Trade Act.”

(b) The offeror certifies that the following supplies are Free Trade Agreement country end products (other than Bahrainian, Moroccan, Omani, Panamanian, or Peruvian end products) or Israeli end products as defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled “Buy American--Free Trade Agreements--Israeli Trade Act”:

Free Trade Agreement Country End Products (Other than Bahrainian, Moroccan, Omani, Panamanian, or Peruvian End Products) or Israeli End Products:

[List as necessary]

(c) The offeror shall list those supplies that are foreign end products (other than those listed in paragraph (b) of this provision) as defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled “Buy American--Free Trade Agreement--Israeli Trade Act.” The offeror shall list as other foreign end products those end products manufactured in the United States that do not qualify as domestic end products, i.e., an end product that is not a COTS item and does not meet the component test in paragraph (2) of the definition of “domestic end product.”

Other Foreign End Products:

[List as necessary]

(d) The Government will evaluate offers in accordance with the policies and procedures of Part 25 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(End of provision) 52.225-18, Place of Manufacture;

Offerors shall complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items. If paragraph (j) of the provision is applicable, a written submission is required.

52.225-25, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Sanctioned Activities Relating to Iran 52.209-11 – Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law.

Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law (Feb 2016)

(a) As required by sections 744 and 745 of Division E of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L 113-235), and similar provisions, if contained in subsequent appropriations acts, the Government will not enter into a contract with any corporation that--

(1) Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or

(2) Was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

(b) The Offeror represents that—

(1) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability; and

(2) It is [ ] is not [ ] a corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under a Federal law within the preceding 24 months.

(End of provision) 52.203-98, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements—Representation (DEVIATION 2015-02)

PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING WITH ENTITIES THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN INTERNAL CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS—REPRESENTATION (FEB 2015)

1. In accordance with section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Resolution Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), Government agencies are not permitted to use funds appropriated (or otherwise made available) under that or any other Act for contracts with an entity that requires employees or subcontractors of such entity seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this provision does not contravene requirements applicable to Standard Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency governing the nondisclosure of classified information.

(c) Representation. By submission of its offer, the Offeror represents that it does not require employees or subcontractors of such entity seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

(End of provision)

CLAUSES

52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance;

52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance;

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Items (MAR 2015) including sub-paragraphs:

52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First Tier Contract awards 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation;

52.222-3, Convict Labor;

52.222-19 Child Labor – Cooperation With Authorities And Remedies;

52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities;

52.222-26, Equal Opportunity;

52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities;

52.223-18 Contractor Policy to Ban Text Messaging While Driving;

52.225-3 --Buy American Act–Free Trade Agreements–Israeli Trade Act;

52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases;

52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration;

52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations;

52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payment to Small Business Subcontractors;

52.247-35, F.O.B. Destination, Within Consignee’s Premises

CAR CLAUSES FULL TEXT CAN BE ACCESSED AT:

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/VFCARA.HTM 1352.201-70, Contracting Officer's Authority 1352.209-73, Compliance With the Laws 1352.209-74 Organizational Conflict of Interest

1352.246-70 PLACE OF ACCEPTANCE (APR 2010)

(a) The Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative will accept supplies and services to be provided under this contract. (b) The place of acceptance will be: 100 Bureau Drive, Bldg. 216, Room D108, Gaithersburg, MD. 20899-0001.

(End of clause)

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Before acceptance, the system will be tested in the Nanoscience User Facility, Building 216, Room D108, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. The Government requires a 30-day acceptance period so that the time-correlated single photon counting system shall be tested to verify that the General System Requirements are met before final Government acceptance and payment in full shall take place.

INSTRUCTIONS:

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration In accordance with FAR 52.204-7, the awardee must be registered in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) prior to award. Refusal to register shall forfeit award.

DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

Offerors shall submit their quotations so that NIST receives them not later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 5, 2016. FAX quotations shall not be accepted. E-mail quotations shall be accepted at joni.laster@nist.gov and Patrick.staines@nist.gov. Please reference the RFQ number in the subject line of email communications. Offerors quotations shall not be deemed received by the Government until the quotation is entered in the e-mail inbox set forth above.

Quotations shall be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition Management Division, Attn: Joni Laster, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640. All offerors shall ensure the RFQ number is visible on the outermost packaging.

Because of heightened security, electronic delivery methods are the preferred method of delivery of quotes. If quotes are hand delivered, delivery shall be made on the actual due date through Gate A, and a 48 hour (excluding weekends and holidays) prior notice shall be provided to Joni Laster, Contract Specialist on 301-975-6205.

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1, QUOTATION PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

1) PRICE QUOTATION:

The offeror shall submit an original and one copy of the completed price schedule. Only one copy is required if submitted electronically. The pricing quotation shall be separate from any other portion of the quotation. The offeror shall propose a firm-fixed-price, FOB Destination, for each CLIN. Contractor shall state express warranty coverage. Price quotations shall remain valid for a period of 90 days from the date quotations are due.

2) TECHNICAL QUOTATION:

The offeror shall submit an original and one copy of the technical quotation. Only one copy is required if submitted electronically. The technical quotation shall address the following:

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY:

The offeror shall provide documentation that demonstrates that the equipment shall be capable of meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements. The offeror shall submit a technical description or product literature for the equipment it is proposing, which clearly identifies the manufacturer, make and model. The offeror must demonstrate that its proposed equipment meets or exceeds each minimum requirement described in the statement of work by providing a citation to the relevant section of its technical description or product literature.

If applicable, evidence that the Offeror is authorized by the original equipment manufacturer to provide the item(s) in the quotation shall be included.

3) PAST PERFORMANCE:

The offeror shall provide past performance information regarding relevant contracts over the past five (5) years with Federal, state, or local governments, or commercial customers.

A list of references, preferably at least 3, if available, to whom the same or similar equipment has been provided. The list of references shall include, at a minimum: The name of the reference contact person and the company or organization; the telephone number of the reference contact person; the contract or grant number; the amount of the contract and the address and the telephone number of the Contracting Officer if applicable; the date of delivery or the date services were completed and a description of the equipment sold to each reference.

If the offeror has no relevant past performance, it may include a statement to that effect in its quotation. The government reserves the right to consider data obtained from sources other than those described by the offeror in its quotation.

ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS (ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1 (B) (11)): THIS IS AN OPEN-MARKET SOLICITATION FOR EQUIPMENT AS DEFINED HEREIN. THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER AS A RESULT OF THIS SOLICITATION THAT WILL INCLUDE THE CLAUSES SET FORTH HEREIN. THE QUOTATION SHALL INCLUDE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

"The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition."

OR

"The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:

Offeror shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s) Note: This procurement is not being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If an offeror 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 offerors FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation.

QUOTATION EVALUATION:

EVALUATION FACTORS:

Award shall be made to the offeror whose quotation offers the best value to the Government, price and other factors considered. The Government will evaluate quotations based on the following evaluation criteria: 1) Technical Capability 2) Past Performance, and 3) Price. Technical Capability and Past Performance, when combined, are equally important to price.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY:

All items must be new. Prototypes, used or refurbished instruments will not be considered for award. Evaluation of technical capability shall be based on the information provided in the quotation. NIST will evaluate whether the offeror has demonstrated that its proposed equipment meets or exceeds all minimum requirements. Quotations that do not demonstrate the proposed equipment meets all requirements will not be considered further for award. If an offeror does not indicate whether its proposed equipment meets a certain minimum requirement, NIST will determine that it does not.

UNDER THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY FACTOR, ALL OFFERORS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS AS STATED HEREIN.

HOWEVER, OFFERORS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING A SYSTEM THAT CAN EXCEED THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS, SHALL BE GIVEN A HIGHER TECHNICAL RATING:

1) General System Requirement (1): A higher technical rating will be given to systems with shorter electrical and timing resolution.

2) General System Requirement (8): A higher technical rating will be given to lasers that allow for selecting multiple repetition rate options, offer a higher average power, offer a shorter pulse width or lasers that combine shorter pulse widths with higher average powers.

PAST PERFORMANCE:

The Government will evaluate the Offerors past performance information and, if appropriate, its proposed subcontractors' past performance to determine its relevance to the current requirement and the extent to which it demonstrates that the offeror has successfully completed relevant contracts in the past five years. In assessing the offerors past performance information, NIST will evaluate, as appropriate, successful performance of contract requirements, quality and timeliness of delivery of goods and services, cost management, communications between contracting parties, proactive management and customer satisfaction. Evaluation of this factor will be based on information contained in the technical portion of the quotation and information provided by references. The Government will evaluate past performance information by contacting appropriate references, including NIST references, if applicable. The Government may also consider other available information in evaluating the offerors past performance. The Government will assign a neutral rating if the offeror has no relevant past performance information.

Price:

The Government will evaluate price for reasonableness.

1352.233-70 AGENCY PROTESTS (APR 2010)

(a) An agency protest may be filed with either (1) the Contracting Officer, or (2) at a level above the Contracting Officer, with the agency Protest Decision Authority. See 64 Fed. Reg. 16,651 (April 6, 1999).

(b) Agency protests filed with the Contracting Officer shall be sent to the following address:

NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION

ATTN: PATRICK STAINES, CONTRACTING OFFICER

100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(c) Agency protests filed with the Protest Decision Authority shall be sent to the following address: NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION

ATTN: HEAD OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICE (HCO)

100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(d) A complete copy of all agency protest, including all attachments, shall be served upon the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel within one day of filing a protest with either the Contracting Officer or the Protest Decision Authority.

(e) Service upon the Contract law Division shall be made as follows:

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20230

FAX: (202) 482-5858

1352.233-71 GAO AND COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS PROTESTS (APR 2010)

(a) A protest may be filed with either the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or the Court of Federal Claims unless an agency protest has been filed.

(b) A complete copy of all GAO or Court of Federal Claims protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon (i) the Contracting Officer, and (ii) the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel, within one day of filing a protest with either GAO or the Court of Federal Claims.

(c) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows:

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20230

FAX: (202) 482-5858

(End of clause)