Safety Shoes

04/19/2023

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Sources Sought #  NIH-OD-OLAO-SS-041923

Project Title: Safety Shoes

Introduction: This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUB Zone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 458210  for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice."

Background: The Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) developed the safety shoe program to help protect and provide NIH employees personal protective equipment (PPE) whose job may put them at risk of foot injury due to occupational hazards.

Project requirements.

Any National Institutes of Health employee whose job exposes him or her to a potential foot injury can obtain steel-toed safety shoes through the Safety Shoe Program upon approval of the individual's supervisor and their position. The DOHS subsidizes the cost of safety shoes. The subsidy may vary yearly and is based on the average price of shoes in the range of footwear found suitable by the DOHS to meet the needs of most employees. In most cases, the subsidy will completely cover the cost of appropriate safety shoes. Safety shoes made outside of the United States will not be available for purchase unless authorized by the Project Officer.

Anticipated period of performance.

The Government intends to negotiate one (1) fixed price contract for a base period of 12 months and four 12-month option periods. The date of award is anticipated to be in September 2023.

Capability Statement:

Small business concerns that believe they have the capabilities necessary to provide Safety Shoes per the statement of work  should submit complete documentation of their capabilities to the Contracting Officer.

The capability statement must not exceed 10 single sided or 5 double sided pages in length and using a 12-point font size minimum.

Interested small business organizations are required to identify their size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone numbers of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will not be considered. When submitting this information, • please reference sources sought notice number.

Information Submission Instructions:

Responses must reference the sources sought # NIH-OD-OLAO-SS-041923  and include the following: (1) Name and Address of the Company, (2) Size and type of business, pursuant to the applicable NAICS code 458210 , (3) Point of contact with name, title, phone, fax and email, (4) UEI  number, (5) Contractors' capability statements should address the services required in the statement of work. Please include information under the following categories that will allow the project officers to get a basic idea of your company's capability to provide the services required: Availability of Items;  Corporate capability - technical abilities to operate the following standard equipment and programs: computer, fax machine, copier and Microsoft Office suite including the following programs: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel;  Past Performance.

ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. THE CLOSING DATE FOR RESPONSES is on May 3, 2023  @ 10:00 AM EST. All questions and/or comments must be emailed to Sharmaine Fagan  at sharmaine.fagan@nih.gov  by April 24, 2023 @ 10:00 AM.

Disclaimer and Important Notes.

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE, NOT A SOLICITATION FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. ONLY CAPABILITY STATEMENTS ARE REQUIRED. It is emphasized that responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a synopsis/solicitation might be published in SAM.gov if the caliber of capability statements received shows qualified contracts who could provide the services per the statement of work below. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality - No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

STATEMENT OF WORK

Safety Shoes

 Background

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) developed the safety shoe program to help protect and provide NIH employees personal protective equipment (PPE) whose job may put them at risk of foot injury due to occupational hazards.

Purpose

 

Any NIH employee whose job exposes him or her to a potential foot injury can obtain steel-toed safety shoes through the Safety Shoe Program upon approval of the individual's supervisor and their position. The DOHS subsidizes the cost of safety shoes. The subsidy may vary yearly and is based on the average price of shoes in the range of footwear found suitable by the DOHS to meet the needs of most employees. In most cases, the subsidy will completely cover the cost of appropriate safety shoes. Safety shoes made outside of the United States will not be available for purchase unless authorized by the Project Officer.

Work Requirements    

All safety shoes provided by the Contractor should be a slip resistant steel toed or a steel toed composite according to OSHA Standards for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved.  All services are to be carried out in accordance with federal regulations and guidelines.  The Contractor will work with the PO or designee on all administrative and programmatic aspects. The Contractor shall NOT represent the NIH except as specifically directed.

Technical Requirements:  The Contractor must have technical abilities to operate the following standard equipment and programs: computer, fax machine, copier and Microsoft Office suite including the following programs: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

 

Place of Performance 

 

NIH main campus located in Bethesda Maryland  on the First and third Wednesday of the month.

National Institutes Animal Center in Poolesville, MD twice a year, Integrated Research Facilities located (IRF) in Frederick, MD and National Institutes of Environmental Health & Safety (NIEHS)-NC, Research Center (BRC)-Baltimore and Rocky Mountain Labs (RML)- Hamilton, Montana will obtain safety shoes from designated vendors from that area.

Inventory

The Contractor will have a well-stocked shoe mobile offering the following slip resistant boots/shoes:

1. 8” boots
2. 8” insulated boots
3. Tree climber

1. Brand names such as Wolverine; Hytest; Works; SRmax; Timberland, etc.

Total number of combined products are not to exceed the following:

Base year       Qty 278 maximum per unit price $150

Option year 1  Qty 296  maximum per unit price $150

Option year  2 Qty 295 maximum per unit price $150

Option year  3 Qty 304  maximum per unit price $150

Option year  4 Qty  313 maximum per unit price $150

Deliverables 

 

 The Contractor will come to the NIH main campus twice a month on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 1-3:30pm.  Provide all safety shoe/boots that fall within $150, $150 being the cap on shoe/boot purchased. 

The Contractor shall ensure: proper space to allow two NIH employees at a time on the shoe truck to comfortable purchase safety shoes.  Also, to ensure that the following equipment and footwear  items below are available.

• Equipment is present and functioning

• Supplies are available 

• Room is clean and presentable

• ANSI approved steel toed or steel toed composite boots

• ANSI approved Steel toed or steel toed composite shoes

• The assessment shall be included in a Monthly Activity Report.

The Contractor must also, write on the NIH 1980 shoe form the NIH ID number of each employee who purchases safety shoes.

Employees located on the off campus facilities such as Integrated Research Facility (IRF)-Frederick, Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML) -Montana, Biomedical Research Center (BRC)-Baltimore and National Institutes of Environmental Health & Safety (NIEHS)-NC will obtain safety shoes from designated vendors from that area.

Reporting

Contractor shall provide itemized invoices for all purchases at the end of each shoe visit.

• Contractor shall provide individual printed receipt attached to each NIH-1980 form.

Contractors will be required to submit monthly product sales report to the purchasing agent.  Each report must contain the following information:

• Contract number
• Department address
• Contact name and telephone number
• Products order
• Quantity shipped and priced charged

The Project Manager reserves the right to request additional information or to modify the reporting requirement or reporting periods.

Invoicing

Submit bi-we1.0ekly invoices to the government for all purchased items

Contract Type:

Fixed Price

Period of Performance:

12 Month Base Year, plus (4) Option Years

End.