This is a combined synopsis/solicitation prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, in conjunction with FAR Subpart 13.5 test program procedures for commercial items as applicable, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice..
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. BIDS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND NO OTHER WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED.
This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses which are in effect through the most current Federal Acquisition Circular. Applicable FAR clauses are incorporated by reference and may be viewed on the website www.arnet.gov/far and http://www.da.usda.gov/procurement/policy/agar_x/agar02/subchaph.html
PART I - THE SCHEDULE
SECTION A -SUPPLIES AND PRICES / COSTS
DESCRIPTION
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) APHIS/PPQ/PBWRF (Pink BollWorm Rearing Facility), in Phoenix, Arizona intends contract to procure 22,500.00 pounds of AGAR. All Subject to Sample Approval. This will be a firm fixed price type Contract .
All pricing to include any and all costs but not limited to: overhead, general and administrative costs, profit, and transportation.
The product requested (Agar Powdered, USP, NF)
Period of performance
10,000lbs due by June 1, 2011
12,500lbs due by June 15,2011
A. Items and Prices
Offeror shall submit a firm-fixed price offer for all costs necessary to furnish all equipment, labor, transportation, supplies, etc. needed to provide the Agar Powdered USP, NF according to the specifications in the following document, for the USDA APHIS, PPQ. PBWRF at 3645 E. Chipman Road in Phoenix, Arizona 85040. Price quotes should be of sufficient detail to determine their adequacy.
OFFERS SHALL BE SUBMITTED BASED ON A PRICE PER POUND.
Item No. Schedule of Supplies/Services
001 Agar Powdered, USP, NF per APHIS/PPQ/PBWRF SPECS 10,000 LBS
002 Agar Powdered, USP, NF per APHIS/PPQ/PBWRF SPECS 12,500 LBS
Agar powdered samples, shipped separate than the actual quote documents listed above (See Section E - Testing and Approval of Product).
Shipment of deliverable items, other than reports, shall be to:
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility
3645 E. Chipman Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85040
PART I I - WORK STATEMENT
A. Scope of Work
APHIS intends to award a firm, fixed-price, commercial supply contract limited to the USDA, APHIS, Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility in Phoenix, Arizona for the following item: 22,500 pounds of Agar Powdered USP, NF.
B. Period of Performance
10,000lbs due by June 1, 2011
12,500lbs due by June 15,2011
D. Performance Requirement
The PBWRF uses agar as a binding agent in the artificial insect diet prepared for rearing larvae of the pink bollworm. Contrary to most artificial insect diets containing agar, the pink bollworm diet is not left intact as poured, but is shredded into noodles approximately 5 mm wide and of varying thickness and length. Because of this special method of use, the agar acts more as a binding agent than it does a gelling agent as in other insect diets. As such, the requirements are more critical in terms of physical properties especially the strength of the gel (1.34% concentration) and the ability to retain moisture for a relatively long period of time. The agar supplied shall be the dried product of the water soluble extract of a species of Pterocladium, Gelidium or Gracilaria confervoides.
Excessive moisture loss from the diet results in two problems. If the loss comes from moisture-holding capability of the agar, the nutrients in the diet become too concentrated and if the loss comes from excessive syneresis, the resultant free moisture creates an unhealthy habitat for the larvae. In the case of the pink bollworm, the artificial diet not only provides the larvae with essential nutrients for their development, but also provides their living space. The agar shall not inhibit growth or reproduction of Pink Bollworm and must conform to the specifications listed above.
The product requested (Agar Powdered, USP, NF) shall meet the following minimum specifications:
1. The diet product of the water-soluble extract of Pterocladium, Gelidium or of Gracilaria
confervoides. All material supplied under this contract shall be of the same type of seaweed and from the same geographical source.
2. Not contain more than 6.5% total ash, on a dry weight basis.
3. Not contain more than 0.5% acid--insoluble ash, on a dry weight basis.
4. The particle size shall be: More than 75% (by weight) shall pass through a #60 U.S. Standard
Sieve.
5. Must not cause a 6% reduction for a period of seven continuous days in the yield of
insects, size of insects, or reproductive potential (oviposition rate), nor affect the life cycle
by an increase of 24 hours or more as determined by USDA bioassay after award of contract,
i.e. no bioassay of the sample is done because of the length of time required.
6. Agar must have a gel strength of 1500 g pressure or more as determined with FMC agar gel
testing machine, measurement is made as follows:
a. Nine grams of agar are weighed and placed in a small flask.
b. Six hundred fifty (650) milliliters of water is preheated to 140 degrees F in a stainless steel beaker. The beaker is then placed on a hot plate/stirrer which has been on high for 30 minutes.
c. The stirrer bar is activated and the agar is slowly added in and mixed.
d. When the mixture reaches boiling, a timer is set for five (5) minutes and the agar is kept at a rolling boil for the 5 minute period. At the end of the 5 minutes, it is removed from the heat and allowed to sit for one (1) minute. It is then poured into 50mm x 70mm crystallizing dishes. The first dish is partially filled in' order to remove as much foam from the cooked agar as possible. Three (3) additional dishes are then filled as full as possible.
e. Samples are allowed to gel three (3) *hours at room temperature.
f. A full dish of agar is set in the center of the platform of the electronic scale. The power is turned on and the scale tared to 0. The LED light is illuminated in order to maintain peak reading after the gel ruptures. The small plunger (10.9mm) and the blue spring (0 1500 grams tension) is used at high speed (18cm/minute). The down button is lowered which starts the synchronous motor which lowers the plunger at a constant rate. Once the plunger contacts the gel the increasing force is registered on the scale display. The highest measured force is when the gel ruptures, this reading will be maintained on the display until the LED light is turned off and the break force reading is recorded.
g. All three (3) dishes are tested and the average break force reading is used for the final result.
7. The gel point shall be within 32 degrees to 45 degrees C. and the melting point shall be
within 85 degrees to 89 degrees C.
8. Must readily dissolve in boiling water within 5 minutes.
9. Microbial content shall not exceed 10,000 micro-organisms per gram and must be free of
other contaminants.
10. Agar must be packaged in the same type of container with respect to volume and shape, irrespective of the quantity. The agar must be packaged in a separate heavy polyethylene inner bag positioned in a fiberboard/cardboard drums. Each container shall be sound, clean, well sealed, and marked with product name, lot number, net weight;- contract number and name of Contractor.
Inspection
Inspection will take place within 3 working days from receipt of delivery, at the consignee's premises. Deliveries that are deemed not to be in compliance with the specifications are to be removed within 3 calendar days. Replacement agar shall be treated in accordance with FAR clause 52.212-4.
E. Testing and Approval of Product
Contractors wishing to submit an offer for this proposal need to submit a sample which needs to be shipped, separate from the actual proposal, to the PBWRF in, Phoenix, Arizona. Failure to submit a "Sample", or failure of the offerors' sample(s) to meet specifications, or submitting the actual offer (pricing) to the PBWRF in Phoenix, Arizona will render an offer non-responsive and ineligible for award. DO NOT INCLUDE PRICING (THE OFFER) WITH THE OFFEROR SAMPLE.
A one (1) pound sample of agar must be received at the following location by the date and time specified for receipt of offers: 04/07/2011 4pmCT
USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine
Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility
Attn: Ernie Miller
3645 E. Chipman
Phoenix, Arizona 85040
In the event the sample differs in any way from the agar to be supplied to the PBWRF, the offeror is to state how the sample differs. Contractor shall furnish for each sample supplied, the species of algae (binomial scientific name), geographical source, and time of year the seaweed was collected.
The sample will be evaluated within 14 days to determine compliance with the specifications. Agar must meet all parameters listed in technical critieria. If the sample fails the gel strength twice, further testing will be suspended. Products delivered under any resulting contract shall strictly' comply with the approved sample for gel strength and moisture retention. The agar shall not inhibit growth or reproduction of Pink Bollworm and must conform to the specifications listed above.
The contractor may not substitute a different type or form of Agar unless this is approved prior by the government.
In accordance with FAR 13-101(b)(1) In the event one supplier is not able to supply the USDA, PPQ, PBWRF with the total amount of agar requested, in accordance with FAR 52.216-27, this request for quotes may result in multiple contract awards. The Government reserves the right to award to one offeror or make multiple award decisions based on the most advantageous offer to the Government. If the offeror cannot supply the full 22,500 pounds of agar they must indicate this in their offer as well as the amount they can provide.
In the event of multiple awards and the agar is purchased from more than one vendor, the vendor can provide the agar in one shipment or multiple shipments. If multiple shipments, the contractor can divide the agar into three equal parts and provide the agar according to the delivery dates above.
All the agar shipped, regardless of the number of shipments, must be packaged in the same type of container with respect to volume and shape, irrespective of the quantity. The agar must be packaged in a separate heavy polyethylene inner bag positioned in a fiberboard/cardboard drum. Each container shall be sound, clean, well sealed, and marked with product name, lot number, net weight, contract number, and name of Contractor.
Inspection
Inspection and testing of the agar lots delivered under this contract will take place within 5 working days from receipt of delivery, at the consignee's premises. Deliveries that are deemed not to be in compliance with the specifications are to be removed within 3 calendar days after notification from the USDA. Replacement agar shall be treated in accordance with FAR clause 52.212-4.
OFFEROR NOTES
Submit Emailed or faxed quotations to Purchasing Section ag (612) 336-3550, Attention Carol Dingess. [email protected]. Quotations are due by April 7, 2011 by 4:00pm Central Time.
Simplified Acquisition Procedures will be used per FAR 12 And 13. A firm Fixed Price Purchase order will be awarded.
1. 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items
Offeror to complete and return the applicable paragraphs at (b) through (k) in clause provisions (Attachment 1 ) 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items of this solicitation only, if necessary.
Offers shall include 52.212-3 Representations and Certifications, Which may be submitted from the website: http://orca.bpn.gov All offers must be signed. . Offeror is responsible for correct input and acceptance of info for on-line registration at time of bid submission.
Anyone placing a bid with the USDA must be listed in the government's Central Contractor Registrar. You may register on line with www.ccr.gov. or by calling Central Contractors Registration @ 1-888-227-2423
or consult online hand book at http://www.ccr.gov/handbook.aspx CCR HELP DESK - https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list
Anyone placing a bid with the USDA must also obtain a Dunn and Bradstreet number. If your company does not have a DUNS number, you may contact Dun and Bradstreet directly to obtain one by calling 1- 866-705-5711or via the following website:http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
or at ccr.dnb.com/ccr/pages/CCRSearch.jsp.
Offers submitted without completion of this provision will be considered nonresponsive. Offeror is responsible for correct input and acceptance of info for on-line registration at time of bid submission. Info must be up-to-date-not expired
The following Federal Acquisition Provisions apply to this acquisition:
52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions for Commercial Items applies to this acquisition
52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions required to implement statutes or executive orders for commercial items applies to this acquisition
52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items.
52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.
52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items
52.216-1 Type of Contract.
452.219-70 Size Standard and SIC Code Information
52.216-27 Single or Multiple Awards