FINAL_SOLICITATION.docx

SB1341-17-RQ-

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 WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. THIS SOLICITATION IS BEING ISSUED USING SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF FAR PART 13 FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-94 and 95, effective January 19, 2017.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334513 with a small business size standard of 750 employees.

This acquisition is being competed using full and open competition.

1352.215-72 INQUIRIES (APR 2010):

Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to both the Contract Specialist (Lynda.Horton@nist.gov) and the Contracting Officer (Patrick.Staines@nist.gov). Questions should be received no later than 5 calendar days after the issuance date of this solicitation. Any responses to 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, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (End of Provision)

Background:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Physical Measurement Laboratory’s, Quantum Measurement Division (QMD) provides the physical foundation for the International System of Units (Système International d'Unités or SI), colloquially referred to as the metric system.

The experiments that the government wishes to pursue impose the following general requirements: i) dilution refrigerator capable of achieving ultralow temperatures, where the quantum dot effects are maximized: ii) magnetic field, in order to investigate electron spin effects; iii) high-frequency leads, for high-speed pulsing and for fast sensing; iv) low noise (both mechanical and electrical) for doing very sensitive electrical measurements.

General System Requirements:

Offeror shall provide a firm fixed price (FFP) quotation for the following line items: The system shall meet or exceed the minimum requirements identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered. The use of “gray market” components not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the proposer is not acceptable. All line items shall be shipped in the original manufacturer’s packaging and include all original documentation and software when applicable

CLIN 0001, Quantity one (1) each, Microwave Generator, meeting or exceeding the following requirements:

1) Minimum carrier frequency no greater than 100 MHz.

2) Maximum carrier frequency no less than 30 GHz.

3) Spectral purity: Above 100 MHz, harmonics less than - 30 dBc and non-harmonics less than -65 dBc.

4) I/Q: This unit must be able to put out the sum of two independent signals, at zero and 90° phase.

5) Modulation capabilities: This unit must be able to perform both I/Q modulation and pulse modulation (both simultaneously and separately) using both internal user-defined waveforms and based on an external voltage – if the unit has an internal I/Q modulation that meets all specifications, this is sufficient.

a. I/Q: on/off ratio at least 45 dBc.

b. Pulse: on/off ratio at least 75 dBc.

6) Internal user-defined waveforms for modulation:

a. I/Q: Arbitrary waveform with at least 100 Msamples/s and 64 M sample length.

b. Pulse: On/off waveform with time spacing increment no greater than 7 ns, minimum length no greater than 15 ns.

7) Modulation from external source:

a. The maximum externally-supplied voltage range to get full-scale modulation of signal amplitude must be no greater than ±0.5 V.

b. I/Q: bandwidth greater than ±900 MHz for carrier frequency above 4 GHz.

c. Pulse: rise/fall times no greater than 15 ns

8) Amplitude: This unit must be able to provide at least 14 dBm for all frequencies above 20 MHz. Note: this is equivalent to a voltage of about 1.2 V.

9) Frequency drift: No greater than 10^-6/hour.

10) Connector adaptor to allow connection to both 2.92 mm and SMA cable assemblies.

Warranty:

The Contractor shall provide their standard commercial warranty.

Delivery:

Delivery should be FOB DESTINATION and be completed within the contractor’s standard commercial timeframe.

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 any 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. The contractor shall deliver all Line Items to:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology 100 Bureau Drive, Building 245 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640

Final Acceptance:

In addition to the inspection and acceptance terms articulated in 52.212-4, the Government reserves the right to perform such performance tests and evaluations as defined below to verify specified system performance. Such tests and evaluations, if performed, shall be conducted within the environment that the system is operated. The Contractor has the right to be present during the tests and evaluations, if performed, at the Contractors expense.

The following performance measurements are required:

NIST will provide payment in full upon successful completion of delivery, demonstration of specifications, inspection and acceptance testing, and submission of a proper invoice from the Contractor. Payment terms shall be Net 30 Days.

Due Date for Quotations

Offerors shall submit their quotations so that NIST receives them not later than 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on May 17, 2017. FAX quotations shall not be accepted. E- mail quotations shall be accepted at lynda.horton@nist.gov. Offeror’s quotations shall not be deemed received by the Government until the quotation is entered into the e-mail address inbox set forth above.

Quotations may also be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition Management Division, Attn: Lynda Horton, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640. All Offerors should ensure the RFQ number is visible on the outermost packaging.

Because of heightened security, electronic delivery is 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 Lynda Horton, Contract Specialist on 301-975-3725.

Instructions to Offerors:

Submission Requirements:

1). Price Quotation:

The offeror shall submit an original and one copy of the price quotation. If the quotation is submitted electronically, additional copies are not required. The pricing quotation shall be separate from any other portion of the quotation. The offeror shall propose a firm-fixed-price quotation for each CLIN. Price quotations shall remain valid for a period of 30 days from the date quotations are due.

2). Technical Quotation:

The offeror shall submit an original and one copy of the technical quotation. If the quotation is submitted electronically, additional copies are not required. The technical quotation shall address the following:

Technical Capability:

The offeror shall submit a technical description or product literature for the system it is proposing, which clearly identifies each requirement listed above. The offeror must demonstrate that its proposed system meets or exceeds each minimum requirement described above by providing a citation to the relevant section of its technical description or product literature. The contractor must not simply state they will meet the requirement; evidence must be provided. If applicable, evidence that the Offeror is authorized by the original provider to provide the item(s) in the quotation should be included.

3). Acceptance of Terms and Conditions:

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 should 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 offeror’s FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation.

4). The Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS number) for the quoter’s active System for Award Management (SAM) registration. Quoters must have an active registration at www.SAM.Gov to receive an award;

5). Quoters shall include a completed copy of provision, 52.209-11 “Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law (Class Deviation) (March 2015)” with their quotation.

Evaluation Factors

Award shall be made to the offeror whose quotation is determined technically acceptable, by meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements, and is lowest in price. The Government will evaluate quotations based on the following evaluation criteria: 1) Technical Capability and 2) Price.

1. Technical Capability: No prototypes, demonstration models, used or refurbished instruments will be considered. 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 offerors technical description and/or product literature does not indicate whether its proposed equipment meets a certain minimum requirement, NIST will determine that it does not meet the requirements.

1. Price: The Government will evaluate price for reasonableness.

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 52.209-11 - Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law 52.212-1 – Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items (Oct 2016) 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.sam.gov/portal. If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (s) of this provision.

Per Court Injunction dated 24 Oct 2016 and OMB memo dated 25 Oct 2016 the following definitions of FAR 52.212-3 are not implemented into this solicitation.

“Administrative merits determination” “Arbitral award or decision” Paragraph (2) of “Civil judgment” “DOL Guidance” “Enforcement agency” “Labor compliance agreement” “Labor laws” “Labor law decision” Per Court Injunction dated 24 Oct. 2016 and OMB memo dated 25 Oct. 2016 paragraph (s) of 52.212-3 is not implemented into this solicitation.

52.204-16 – Commercial & Government Entity Code Reporting 52.204-17 – Ownership or Control of Offeror 52.204-18 – Commercial & Government Entity Code Maintenance 52.225-4 Buy American—Free Trade Agreements-Israeli Trade Act Certificate.

As prescribed in 25.1101(b)(2)(i), insert the following provision:

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 (COTS) 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 Agreements—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) 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements--Representation (Jan 2017)

(a) Definition. As used in this provision-- “Internal confidentiality agreement or statement”, “subcontract”, and “subcontractor”, are defined in the clause at 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements.

(b) In accordance with section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions), Government agencies are not permitted to use funds appropriated (or otherwise made available) for contracts with an entity that requires employees or subcontractors of such entity seeking to report waste, fraud, 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.

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

(d) Representation. By submission of its offer, the Offeror represents that it will not require its employees or subcontractors to sign or comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting waste, fraud, or abuse related to the performance of a Government contract to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information (e.g., agency Office of the Inspector General).

(End of provision)

Clauses 52.204-13 – System for Award Management 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;52.209-6 – Protecting the Government’s interest When Subcontracting with Contractor’s Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (DEC 2010) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.204-10 – Clause Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards 52.219-4 – Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (Jan 2011) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a) 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set Aside 52.219-28 – Post Award Small Business Program Representation (Apr 2009) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)). 52.222-50 – Combatting Trafficking in Persons (FEB 2009)(22 U.S.C.7104(g)) 52.225-1 – Buy American Supplies 52.233-3 – Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553) 52.233-4 – Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim 52.222-3 – Convict Labor (June 2003)(E.O. 11755) 52.222-19 – Child Labor – Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2014)(E.O. 13126) 52.222-21 – Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999) 52.222-26 – Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007)(E.O. 11246 52.222-36 – Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jul 2014)(29 U.S.C. 793) 52.223-18- Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging while Driving (Aug 2011)(E.O 13513) 52.225-3 - Buy American Act – Free Trade Agreements – Israeli Trade Act (JUN 2009) (41U.S.C. 10a-10d, 19 U.S.C. 3301 note, 19 U.S.C. 212 note, 19 U.S.C. 3805 NOTE, Pub.L. 108-77, 108-78, 108-286, 108-301, 109-53, 109-169, 109-283, and 110-138). (ii) Alternate I (Jan 2004) of 52.225-3 52.225-13 – Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008)(E.O.’s, proclamations, and statues administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury 52.232-33 – Payment By Electronic Funds Transfer – System for Award Management (Jul 2013) 931 U.S.C. 3332) 52.225-25 – Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Certain Activities or Transactions Relating to Iran – Representations and Certifications 52.232-39 – Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations 52.232-40 – Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Contractors 52.247-35 – FOB Destination, within Consignee’s Premises 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (Jan 2017)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause-- “Internal confidentiality agreement or statement” means a confidentiality agreement or any other written statement that the contractor requires any of its employees or subcontractors to sign regarding nondisclosure of contractor information, except that it does not include confidentiality agreements arising out of civil litigation or confidentiality agreements that contractor employees or subcontractors sign at the behest of a Federal agency.

“Subcontract” means any contract as defined in subpart 2.1 entered into by a subcontractor to furnish supplies or services for performance of a prime contract or a subcontract. It includes but is not limited to purchase orders, and changes and modifications to purchase orders.

“Subcontractor” means any supplier, distributor, vendor, or firm (including a consultant) that furnishes supplies or services to or for a prime contractor or another subcontractor.

(b) The Contractor shall not require its employees or subcontractors to sign or comply with internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or subcontractors from lawfully reporting waste, fraud, or abuse related to the performance of a Government contract to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information (e.g., agency Office of the Inspector General).

(c) The Contractor shall notify current employees and subcontractors that prohibitions and restrictions of any preexisting internal confidentiality agreements or statements covered by this clause, to the extent that such prohibitions and restrictions are inconsistent with the prohibitions of this clause, are no longer in effect.

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

(e) In accordance with section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, (Pub. L. 113-235), and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions) use of funds appropriated (or otherwise made available) is prohibited, if the Government determines that the Contractor is not in compliance with the provisions of this clause.

(f) The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (f), in subcontracts under such contracts.

(End of clause)

Assurance by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law (Class Deviation) (March 2015)

1) In accordance with Sections 543 and 544 of Public Law 112-55 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2012, Title V (General Provisions) none of the funds made available by that Act may be used to enter into a contract with any corporation that-

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

b) 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, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

2) By accepting this award or order, in writing or by performance, the offeror/contractor assures that-

a) The offeror/contractor is not a corporation convicted of a felony criminal violation under a Federal law within the preceding 24 months.

b) The offeror/contractor 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 agreements with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability.

(End of clause)

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are hereby incorporated by reference. All CAR clauses may be viewed at http://www.ecfr.gov

1352.201-70 – Contracting Officers Authority 1352.209-73 – Compliance with the Laws (APR 2010) 1352.209-74 – Organizational Conflict of Interest

1352.246-70 – Place of Acceptance

(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, Gaithersburg, MD. 20899

NIST LOCAL

-04 Billing Instructions –

(a) NIST prefers electronic Invoice/Voucher submissions and they should be emailed to INVOICE@NIST.GOV.

(b) Each Invoice or Voucher submitted shall include the following: (1) Contract Number. (2) Contractor Name and Address. (3) Date of Invoice. (4) Invoice Number. (5) Amount of Invoice and Cumulative Amount Invoiced to-date. (6) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN). (7) Description, Quantity, Unit of Measure, Unit Price, and Extended Price of Supplies/Services Delivered. (8) Prompt Payment Discount Terms, if Offered. (9) Any other information or documentation required by the contract.

(c) In the event electronic submissions are not used, The Contractor shall submit an original invoice or voucher in accordance with the payment provisions of this contract to: NIST: Accounts Payable Office 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1621 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1621 (End of clause)

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 appropriate agency Protest Decision Authority. See 64 Fed. Reg. 16,651 (April 6, 1999)

100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899

(c) Agency protests filed with the agency 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

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)

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