10GB Optical Wave Transport Service Lease Renewal

Reference attached Questions and Answers. .

I. OVERVIEW: This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 "Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items," as applicable, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation document will not be issued. Submit offers on RML-RFQ-1943775.

This solicitation is a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-101 effective October 26, 2018. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 517311 Wired Telecommunications Carriers with a small business size standard of 1,500 employees. This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures and is not a total small business set aside. The Government anticipates making a single award Firm Fixed Price purchase order for a base 12-month period and four 12-month options.

II. STATEMENT OF NEED: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) requires renewal of 10GB optical wave transport service for the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana to a telecom crossroads in Chicago, Illinois that ultimately connects to NIAID's leased space within an Ashburn, Virginia collocation site. The line supports RML's access to NIAID's centralized business and scientific functions, such as genomic sequencing services, to NIAID laboratories located in Maryland. The RML generates terabytes of data that must be transmitted back to NIAID research and backup facilities in Maryland and the 10GB high speed connectivity is required to do so. The Contractor shall receive the optical wave and maintain the 10Gbps fiber optic network transport route as provided in the attached Statement of Work (SOW). Service delivery to the termination points shall be via 10GB ethernet over dark fiber. The Contractor is required to provide service to run from the Ashburn facility ingress point to NIAID's leased spaced within the facility.

III. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:
Base Period: January 27, 2019 - January 26, 2020
Option Year 1: January 27, 2020 - January 26, 2021
Option Year 2: January 27, 2021 - January 26, 2022
Option Year 3: January 27, 2022 - January 26, 2023
Option Year 4: January 27, 2023 - January 26, 2024

IV. INSTRUCTIONS: The government requests responses from qualified sources capable of providing the requirement as outlined in the SOW. The Government may evaluate only those quotes that fully meet the requirements as outlined in the SOW and respond to the solicitation instructions and requirements. Failure to furnish a full and complete quote as instructed may result in the Offeror's response being considered non-responsive and will therefore be eliminated from further consideration and award.

Quote shall be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist, Tamara McDermott, at tamara.mcdermott@nih.gov on or before Monday, January 14, 2019 5:00 pm EST. All or part of the successful offeror's quote may be incorporated in any contract resulting from this solicitation. The successful offeror's quote may be incorporated by reference. Reference Solicitation ID: RFQ-RML-1943775 on your quote.

By submission of an offer, the offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation. [Note: Lack of registration in the SAM will make an offeror ineligible for award].

V. EVALUATION: NIAID will evaluate all quotes to determine the best value to the government. NIAID will make a Best Value Determination based on the capability of each offeror's quote to provide the requirement as outlined in the SOW, past performance, and reasonable price. Non-price factors, when combined, are equal in importance to price. "Best value" means the expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the government's estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement. Best value evaluation is, in and of itself, a subjective assessment by the government of the offers that provides the optimal results to the government.

EVALUATION OF OPTIONS
In accordance with FAR 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price of the base requirement. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

VI. DISCUSSIONS: The Government intends to award without discussions but reserves the right to conduct discussions should it be deemed in the Government's best interest.

VII. SPECIAL NOTICE TO OFFERORS
Offerors are advised that the Government may share your information with non-government personnel who are assisting with the evaluation of quotes. The exclusive responsibility for source selection will reside with the Government. By submitting your offer, you will be consenting to disclosure of your offer to non-government personnel for purposes of evaluation.

VIII. QUESTIONS: If you have questions regarding this requirement, please submit inquires immediately, but no later than Tuesday, January 8, 2019 5:00 PM EST, via email to the Contract Specialist, Tamara McDermott, at tamara.mcdermott@nih.gov. The Government will issue an amendment to the RFQ responding to questions, if needed.

XI. PROVISIONS, CLAUSES & OTHER
Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://www.sam.gov in accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items. (Please ensure FAR 52.209-2 - Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations - Representation (Nov 2015) is updated in your SAM record).

The following Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provisions and clauses are incorporated by reference and full text versions may be accessed electronically at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/.
FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors - Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
FAR 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements - Representation (Jan 2017)
FAR 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements. (Jan 2017)
FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)
FAR 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications (Dec 2014)
FAR 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (Jul 1990)
FAR 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Dec 2013)

The following additional Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulations (HHSAR) provisions and clauses are applicable to this requirement:
HHSAR 352.222-70 Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015)
Copies of the above-referenced clauses are available from http://www.hhs.gov/policies/hhsar/ or upon request, either by telephone or fax.

The following additional FAR provisions and clauses are applicable to this requirement and provided in full text as an attachment:
FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (Aug 2018)
FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)

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