Automated Reaction Dosing System

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation number is 75N95019Q00192 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) on a Total Set-Aside basis to Small Business. This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5-Test Program for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12-Acquisition of Commercial Items. This acquisition is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000.00. A Fixed-Price type of contract is contemplated for any resulting contract entered into as a result of this solicitation.

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number/Effective Date: 2019-02 / 06-05-2019.

(iv) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 339112 Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing with size standard 1000 employees. Total Set-Aside restriction to Small Business is applicable.

(v) This requirement is for the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCATS has a requirement to obtain an Automated Reaction Dosing System on a BRAND-NAME-OR-EQUAL basis to the Junior Automated Reaction Dosing System, or its equal, described in this notice and manufactured by Unchained Labs located at 6870 Koll Ctr Pkwy Ste 200, Pleasanton, CA, 94566-3176.

The DPI at NCATS requires the subject supply as an automated reaction system to support two projects in the ASPIRE program that aims to transform chemistry from an individualized craft to a modern, information-based science. The first is the plate-based Reaction Screening project, which is modeled after similar facilities in academic and industrial research labs. Reaction Screening utilizes standard microtiter plates to run multi reactions in parallel, with each well position representing one reaction typically at milligram scales. The Reaction Automation project is based on the existing TekMatic Indigo reactor platform and Biotage system that run parallel reactions in microwave vials with a lower throughput on a larger scale typically with hundreds of milligrams of reactants. This may lead to an assessment of key functional capabilities and compatibility of such automated reagent dosing systems and the implementation of a fully-automated workflow process.

(vi) The purpose of this requirement is to obtain the Automated Reaction Dosing System, or its equal, that is manufactured and produced by Unchained Labs, which specifically includes the following manufacturer item, part number and product description, quantity one:
Robot Chassis and Enclosure:
F160788-001 Junior robot
F165484 Junior - Table with Side Desk
F162301 Junior - Ventilated Enclosure

Arm Elements:
AS00609 Heated 6-Tip Liquid Dispenser - Extended Tip, Variable pitch
SG140006 10-Port Selection Valve
SG148100 Flexible Tool Changer

Flexible Tool Changer Options:
SG154010 SV Powder Dispenser
SG131465-001 10 ml Powder Dispense Head
SG131465-004 10 ml Powder Dispense Head
SG152436-001 25 ml Powder Dispense Head
SG152436-004 25 ml Powder Dispense Head

Deck Elements:
SG140143 4-place Balance with Integrated Camera
F158349 Wash Station, Multi-Tip
F161881 Combination Rack
F161772 Vertical Plate Hotel

Custom Development:
604-2000 Custom Development

Accessory Hardware (Computer, Server, Chiller, 3rd Party):
S16566-00x Computer
F158719 Ionizer
V15826-009 LEA RAS Server,Tower

Software:
S00011 LEA Library Studio - Perpetual License
S00012 LEA PolyView Perpetual License
S00013 LEA Automation Studio - Perpetual License

Installation and Training:
M00005 Junior Installation
S00067 Basic Training (2 days)

Consumables
601-2008 Accessories Kit

Products offered must include those salient physical, functional, or other characteristics that are deemed essential in meeting the government's needs. Specifically, the following features are deemed essential that this requirement shall achieve:

1. The system needs to be a standalone. A GUI is needed to control the system for experiment design and execution, and data visualization with command and control remotely accessible through a separate computer interface.

2. Able to dispense solids of user-defined weight into multi vials at predefined locations of standard micro-titer plates placed inside the system, with target mass ranging from a few mg to a few hundred mg, able to consistently dispense 5 mg of five different powders (magnesium stearate, lactose, and acetaminophen, hydroxylpropyl cellulose, and HEPES) into a one-dram vial within 10% target weight, when unattended, and can consistently dispense 200 mg of three different powders (magnesium stearate, lactose, and acetaminophen) into a 10-mL microwave vial within 5% target weight. Dispensing methods take less than five minutes.

3. Accurately dispense liquids to vials placed on microtiter-plates. When unattended, the system can dispense 300 uL of two different liquids (tetrahydrofuran, and dichloromethane) into each of 30 vials (1 mL, 8X30 mm) within 5% target volume in 30 minutes. When unattended, the system can dispense 5 uL of viscous liquid (ethylene glycol) into each of 30 glass shell vials (1 mL, 8X30 mm) within 10% target volume in 30 minutes.

4. Able to heat/cool micro-titer plates at pre-set temperatures (0-140 °C) with the capability of magnetic stirring at pre-set speeds and stage plates or vials for access by other robotic systems; able to be reconfigured including changing parts of different functions and physically integrating other vendor's solid reagent delivery technologies.

5. Accessible from external connections of an API for any onboard databases used to store information by the system.

6. Ability to import and read from outside structured data source files (e.g. XML, JSON or CSV) or proprietary file types (e.g. Excel or JMP) to facilitate experiment design setup; to export experimental designs by system software and data collection experiments in similar formats.

Offerors submitting a quotation must: 1) clearly indicate if the line item or items being offered in their quote is a brand-name item to the brand name item described in this solicitation, or if the item or items being offered is an "or-equal" item; 2) include Shipping and handling cost in the quotation, or specify if it is included in the price; 3) indicate an estimated delivery time in full after receipt of an order; 4) indicate if items being quoted are warrantied in accordance with Offeror's standard commercial warranty practices or whether software support is included and the length of time of such warranty/support subscription, up to four additional one-year periods of performance, not to exceed a total of five years in contract length, base year plus any optional year periods of performance, if exercised, combined, to be incorporated into the contract in accordance with FAR clause 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract.

(vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the anticipated delivery date after receipt of order (ARO) shall be specified in the offeror's quote and will be determined prior to any award. Delivery will be FOB - DESTINATION. The place of delivery and acceptance will be 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.

(viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html

(End of provision)

The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:
• FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Jul 2016)
• FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999)
• FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
• 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)
• HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015)

The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses:
https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html

(End of clause)

The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:
• FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Jul 2016)
• FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items (Oct 2018).

The provisions of FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (OCT 2018) is applicable to this solicitation:

52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct1995)
52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2016)
52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Oct 2015)
52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Nov 2016)
52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Jul 2013)
52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003)
52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2018)
52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015)
52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016)
52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Oct 2015)
52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities (Jul 2014)
52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans (FEB 2016)
52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010)
52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Mar 2015)
52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification (OCT 2015)
52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011)
52.225-1 Buy American - Supplies (May 2014)
52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008)
52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award Management (Jul. 2013)

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated as an attachment:
• NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (2/2014)

(ix) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following is an addendum to 52.212-2. Responses received to this RFQ will be evaluated on a Trade-Off basis. The award will be made on a competitive best value basis, using "tradeoff" among price-cost and non-price-cost factors. The Government may elect to award to other than the lowest priced offeror, or other than the offeror with the highest rated non-price-cost proposal. In either case, a tradeoff will be conducted. The government reserves such right of flexibility in conducting the evaluation as necessary to assure an award with the contractor providing the best value to the government. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award, cost or price is also important to the overall award decision. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. However, cost or price may become a critical factor in source selection in the event two or more offerors are determined to be essentially equal following the evaluation of all factors other than cost or price.

Quotations will be evaluated based on the factor of Technical Capability: Offerors shall clearly indicate possessing the technical capability to achieve the essential salient characteristic features of this requirement. The Offeror must indicate in its quotation the ability to provide all of the requirements. The Offeror must indicate in its quotation the ability to meet the delivery requirements and evidence of possessing the technical knowledge, qualifications and capability and management structure needed in successfully achieving this requirement. Quotations will be evaluated using adjective ratings and no numeric point system will be used. Excellent (Risk level: Very low); Good (Risk level: Low); Acceptable (Risk Level: Neutral); Marginal (Risk level: High); Unacceptable (Risk level: Very high).

Cost: The Offeror(s) cost/price quotation will be evaluated for reasonableness and best value to the government. Basic cost and price information in the Offerors' quote must contain sufficient information to allow the Government to perform a basic analysis of the reasonableness of the Offeror to supply the required services and/or supply. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the government that a prudent person would pay when consideration is given to prices in the market. The Government intends to make an award(s) to that offeror whose proposal provides the best overall value to the Government. Discounts may be taken into account for this selection criterion, however the government reserves the right to make a selection decision with tradeoffs.

Respondents that believe that they are manufacturers or authorized resellers of any BRAND-NAME product specified in this announcement must provide, as part of their response: (a) product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s); (b) product description; (c) all relevant information and documentation that the item(s) offered meets the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics as specified in the purchase description; quantity; price or cost; shipping, handling, and/or installation charges; and delivery date after receipt of order.
A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

(x) The Offerors to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer.

(xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(xii) The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated in full text.

(xiii) The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions as determined by the contracting officer are necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices. There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition.

(xiv) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.

(xv) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance, special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations.

The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

(xvi) All responses must be received no later than the date specified in this announcement. Late responses will not be accepted. All responses must reference the subject solicitation number. Responses must be submitted electronically to hunter.tjugum@nih.gov. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. For information regarding this solicitation, contact Hunter Tjugum by email at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov or by phone at 301-827-5304.

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