Quantum Cascade Laser Wafers

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 and authorized by FAR Subpart 13.5, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This requirement is Total Small Business Set-Aside. The NAICS Code for this synopsis/solicitation is 334413, Size Standard 500 Employees.

Solicitation/Purchase Request number F2KBAD3170A001 is issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). This document incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-69 effective 1 Aug 2013.

The Government contemplates an award of a firm-fixed price contract for the delivery of four epitaxially grown Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) wafers following four separate designs:

CLIN 0001: Quantum Cascade Laser Wafer - Design 1
SPECIFICATIONS:
a) Strain-compensated design grown on 2-inch diameter InP substrate,
b) Design Optimized for continuous-wave high-power operation at room temperature,
c) Room temperature wavelength between 4.55 and 4.65 micrometers,
d) Room temperature QCL wall-plug efficiency >20%
e) The vendor shall fabricate uncoated epi-up devices from a portion of this wafer to verify wavelength and wall-plug efficiency at room temperature, and supply this data with the delivered wafer
f) The vendor shall deliver the unprocessed portion of the wafer, not less than 80% of the original wafer area, in no more than two pieces,
g) The vendor shall disclose active region thickness, clad layer thickness, and cap layer thickness for subsequent device processing
QTY: 1 UNIT: Each
FOB: DESTINATION Inspection and Acceptance: DESTINATION
Desired Delivery Date: 8 weeks ARO

CLIN 0002: Quantum Cascade Laser Wafer - Design 2
SPECIFICATIONS:
a) Strain-compensated design grown on 2-inch diameter InP substrate
b) Design optimized for continuous-wave high-power operation at 77K (cannot be the same as design #1, possible example is "single injector design" as published in Nature Photonics 4, 99 - 102 (2010)
c) 77K wavelength between 4.55 and 4.65 micrometers
d) 77 K QCL wall-plug efficiency >50%
e) The vendor shall fabricate uncoated epi-up devices from a portion of this wafer to verify wavelength and wall-plug efficiency at 77K, and supply this data with the delivered wafer,
f) The vendor shall deliver the unprocessed portion of the wafer, not less than 80% of the original wafer area, in no more than two pieces,
g) The vendor shall disclose active region, clad layer and cap layer thickness for device processing
QTY: 1 UNIT: Each
FOB: DESTINATION Inspection and Acceptance: DESTINATION.
Desired Delivery Date: 8 weeks ARO

CLIN 0003: Quantum Cascade Laser Wafer - Design 3
SPECIFICATIONS:
a) Strain-compensated design grown on 2-inch diameter InP substrate
b) Design optimized for continuous-wave high-power operation at room temperature,
c) Room temperature wavelength between 8.5 and 9.5 micrometers
d) Room temperature QCL wall-plug efficiency >10%
e) The vendor shall fabricate uncoated epi-up devices from a portion of this wafer to verify wavelength and wall-plug efficiency at room temperature, and supply this data with the delivered wafer,
f) The vendor shall deliver the unprocessed portion of the wafer, not less than 80% of the original wafer area, in no more than two pieces,
g) The vendor shall disclose active region, clad layer and cap layer thickness for device processing
QTY: 1 UNIT: Each
FOB: DESTINATION Inspection and Acceptance: DESTINATION.
Desired Delivery Date: 8 weeks ARO

CLIN 0004: Quantum Cascade Laser Wafer - Design 4
SPECIFICATIONS:
a) Strain-compensated design grown on 2-inch diameter InP substrate
b) Design optimized for continuous-wave high-power operation at room temperature,
c) Room temperature wavelength between 4.0 and 4.1 micrometers
d) Room temperature QCL wall-plug efficiency >8%
e) The vendor shall fabricate uncoated epi-up devices from a portion of this wafer to verify wavelength and wall-plug efficiency at room temperature, supply this data with the delivered wafer,
f) The vendor shall deliver the unprocessed portion of the wafer, not less than 80% of the original wafer area, in no more than two pieces,
g) The vendor must disclose active region, clad layer and cap layer thickness for device processing
QTY: 1 UNIT: Each
FOB: DESTINATION Inspection and Acceptance: DESTINATION.
Desired Delivery Date: 8 weeks ARO

In accordance with the FAR 13.106-1(a)(2) offerors are notified that award will be made on the basis of lowest price technically acceptable.

In accordance with FAR 13.106(b)(1), offerors are notified that each may be required to provide documentation supporting the price, cost and/or cost realism supporting the quoted prices. Failure to furnish supporting documentation expressly requested and necessary for the agency to perform price, cost and/or cost realism analysis is grounds to reject the quote.

Offers may be submitted via: mail to AFNWC/PZIA, ATTN: Rafaela Kovacs, 8500 Gibson Blvd. SE, Bldg 20602, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117; fax to (505) 846-4262 ATTN: Rafaela Kovacs; or email to rafaela.kovacs@kirtland.af.mil. Electronic documents shall be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .xls. Communication containing documents in any other format, including .zip, may be blocked or stripped by the Government's server and may not be received by this office.

Sample device shall be submitted to AFRL/RDLAS, ATTN: Dr Ron Kaspi, AFRL/RDLTD, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117.

The following provisions and clauses apply to this procurement:
FAR 52.202-1, Definitions
FAR 52.203-3, Gratuities
FAR 52.203-12, Limitation on Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions
FAR 52.204-4, Printed or Copied Double-Sided on Postconsumer Fiber Content Paper
FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management
FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance
FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items
FAR 52.212-3 Alt I, Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items (all offerors shall include a completed copy of this provision with their quote unless electronically filed in System for Award Management)
FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items
FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. [in paragraphs (b) and (c) the following clauses apply 52.203-6 Alt I, 52.204-10, 52.209-6, 52.219-6, 52.219-8, 52.219-28, 52.222-3; 52.222-19; 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-40, 52.223-18, 52.225-13, 52.232-33]
FAR 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations
FAR 52.242-13, Bankruptcy
DFARS 252.203-7000, Requirements Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials
DFARS 252.203-7002, Requirement to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights
DFARS 252.203-7005, Representation Relating Compensation of Former DoD Officials
DFARS 252.204-7003, Control of Government Personnel Work Product
DFARS 252.204-7004 Alt A, Alt A, System for award Management
DFARS 252.204-7011, Alternative Line Item Structure
DFARS 252.209-7001, Disclosure of Ownership or Control by the Government of a Terrorist Country
DFARS 252.211-7001, Item Identification and Valuation
DFARS 252.211-7001 Alt I, Item Identification and Valuation
DFARS 252.209-7004, Subcontracting with Firms that are Owned or Controlled by the Government of a Terrorist Country
DFARS 252.209-7997, Representation by Corporations Regarding an unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or Felony Conviction under any Federal Law-DoD Appropriations (all offerors shall include a completed copy of this provision with their quote)
DFARS 252.223-7008, Prohibition of Hexavalent Chromium
DFARS 252.225-7000, Buy American Statute-Balance of Payments Program Certificates
DFARS 252.225-7001, Buy American and Balance of Payments Program
DFARS 252.225-7002, Qualifying Country Sources as Subcontractors
DFARS 252.225-7012, Preference for Certain Domestic Commodities
DFARS 252.225-7048, Export-Controlled Items
DFARS 252.232-7003, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests and Receiving Reports
DFARS 252.232-7006, Wide Area Workflow Payment Instructions
DFARS 252.232-7010, Levies on Contract Payments
DFARS 252.243-7001, Pricing of Contract Modification
DFARS 252.243-7002, Requests for Equitable Adjustments
DFARS 252.244-7000, Subcontracts for Commercial Items
DFARS 252.247-7023, Transportation of Supplies by Sea

The following full text provisions and clauses apply to this procurement:
FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Jan 1999)
(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:
(i) technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement;
(ii) price;
(iii) past performance (see FAR 15.304);
Technical and past performance, when combined, are equal to price.
(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).
(c) 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.

FAR 52.233-2, Service of Protest (sep 2006)
(a) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from Rafaela Kovacs, 8500 Gibson Blvd SE Bldg 20202, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117
(b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998). 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 this/these address(es): http://farsite.hill.af.mil

FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998). 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 this/these address(es): http://farsite.hill.af.mil

AFFARS 5352.201-9101, Ombudsmen
(a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the party to another official who can resolve the concern.

(b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).

(c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, concerned parties may contact the Center/MAJCOM, AFISRA ombudsmen, or
AFNWC Ombudsmen:

Ms Jeannine Kinder AFNWC/PK E-Mail: jeannine.kinder@kirtland.af.mil
Phone: (505) 846-1924 Fax: (505) 846-0122

Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the MAJCOM/DRU, AFISRA level, or AFNWC level may be brought by the concerned party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2397, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.
(d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.
(e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or
clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer.

The following addendums to provisions and clauses apply to this procurement:
Addendum to 52.212-1
A quote shall consist of the following sections utilizing no less than 1-inch margins and no smaller than 12-point font:
Technical Capability shall not exceed 6 pages
Price shall not exceed 1 page

Addendum to 52.212-2:
Award will be made to the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable offer. Technical Acceptability is determined by both Past Performance and Technical Capability. Evaluation factors will be evaluated in the order in which they appear
(i) Technical Capability. This section will provide basis for evaluating the offeror's ability to comply with the specific performance requirements.
(a) Subfactor 1 - Conformance. The technical response shall be evaluated for conformance with the required specifications.
(b) Subfactor 2 - Demonstration.The offeror shall provide the Government a sample QCL device as proof of offeror's ability to provide all four wafer designs. The QCL device sample shall be near 4.6µm emission wavelength, with attached data showing wall-plug efficiency measured at 77K (design #2). Sample shall be sent to Dr Ron Kaspi, AFRL/RDLTD, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117 and shall be received by solicitation close date. The Government shall return all devices received.
Technical Capability Rating
Acceptable - this rating shall be assigned to each Subfactor when technical response clearly demonstrates the requirement of the Subfactor has been met.
Unacceptable - this rating shall be assigned to each Subfactor when technical response provided demonstrates the requirement of the Subfactor has not been met.
Offerors will be assigned an overall rating Technical Capability Rating of Acceptable or Unacceptable based on Subfactor ratings.
Only offers with an overall rating of Acceptable in Technical Capability shall be further evaluated.

(ii) Past Performance. The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) Report Card shall be reviewed for each offeror.
Past Performance Rating
Acceptable - this rating shall be assigned if no negative information is reported.
Unacceptable - this rating shall be assigned if negative information is reported.

(iii) Price. Proposals with an overall Acceptable rating in both Technical Capability and Past Performance shall be ordered from lowest price to highest price.

Addendum to 52.212-4
Post-acceptance rights, as addressed in paragraph (a), shall be limited to a period of 6 months from the date of acceptance in Wide Area Workflow.