STREAMLINED SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

COMPETITIVE

Title:   Bioreactor System for Recombinant Protein Production

1. 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; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.
2.  The solicitation number is 75N95021P00206 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).
3. This solicitation is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items. The resulting acquisition is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
4. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-05 dated 03/10/2021.
5. The associated NAICS code is 334516 -Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.
6. This acquisition is being conducted using full and open competition with no set-aside restrictions.
7. The Government intends to award one Firm-Fixed-Price purchase order without discussions. Therefore, it is important that your initial quotation include your most favorable terms from both a price and technical standpoint. If the Government determines it is in its best interest to do so, it may conduct discussions to make an unacceptable quotation acceptable.
8. The Government also reserves the right to award no purchase order depending on the quality of the quotations, the availability of funding, and the continued existence of this requirement.

Description of Requirement:

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has a requirement for one (1) benchtop bioreactor/fermentation system for recombinant protein production. The NINDS Brain MRI Molecular Contrast Unit (BMMCU) requires a bioreactor system to facilitate the increased production of recombinant protein, which will then be used to develop a novel class of brain MRI contrast agents.  Refer to Attachment 1 – Purchase Description for more information.

Salient Characteristics:

Refer to Attachment 1 - Purchase Description for a complete description of the Bioreactor System, including the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics.

Quantity: One (1)

Delivery Terms:

Refer to Attachment 1 for the delivery terms applicable to this acquisition.  

Warranty Terms:

Refer to Attachment 1 for the warranty terms applicable to this acquisition. 

Additional Information:

Quotations submitted in response to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bonafide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include unit price, list price, shipping/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.

Quotations must also include the offeror’s Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. 

All offerors MUST have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at the time of offer submission.

A responsive quotation MUST conform to the specifications contained in this RFQ and in Attachment 1 to receive consideration.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following evaluation factor information is provided as an addendum:

• The Government will evaluate each quotation for conformance to the requirements in this solicitation. This evaluation will include all stated terms, conditions, and other information required as stated in this RFQ and a determination that the offeror is responsible.

• 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:

                (a) Technical capability of the item(s) offered to meet or exceed the Government’s requirement as described in the “Production Description and Salient Characteristics” section in Attachment 1.

                (b) Plan for carrying out all phases of the Government’s requirement with respect to delivery as detailed in the “Delivery Terms” section of  Attachment 1.

                (c) Evidence of ability to provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)-certified service technician to perform all service and repair of equipment, as needed, during the Warranty Period, as described in the “Warranty Terms” section of Attachment 1.

               (d) Extent of warranty offered to meet or exceed requirement as described in the “Warranty Terms” section of Attachment 1.

All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price.

If an Offeror (1) fails or refuses to assent to any term, (2) proposes additional terms, or (3) fails to submit or omits material information required by this RFQ, then the Government may consider your offer UNACCEPTABLE.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications –   Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

All offers must include a completed copy of Attachment 3 – FAR 52.212-3 and 52.204-24 Certifications.

The FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.  See Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions for more details.

The FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. See Attachment 2 for FAR clauses cited in paragraph (b) of the clause at FAR 52.212-5 that are applicable to this acquisition.

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

The successful offeror shall be required to submit all invoices in accordance with Attachment 4 – Invoice Instructions.

All responsible sources may submit a quotation which will be considered by the agency.

All quotations must be received by May 7, 2021, 5:00 PM EST and reference solicitation number 75N95021P00208. Quotations must be submitted electronically (by e-mail) to [email protected]. Fax responses will not be accepted.

Any questions about this solicitation must be submitted by May 6, 2021, 5:00 PM EST. All questions must be submitted electronically (by e-mail) to [email protected] and reference solicitation number 75N95021P00208.

Please be advised that the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a Federal agency.  Your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions may include provisions that are customarily found in the commercial sector, but which are not appropriate for a contract with a Federal agency.  Specifically, NIH considers any provision in your mass-market commercial sales and/or license agreement terms and conditions to be inappropriate and unenforceable that:

(1) Contravenes a right granted NIH under U.S. copyright law (e.g., fair use, right to archive, copying for interlibrary loan),

(2) Violates the Federal Acquisition Regulation or other Federal law (e.g., Antideficiency Act, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law),

(3) Departs from reasonable consumer expectations, or

(4) Violates fundamental public policy.

The NIH shall assume that you agree with these statements if you submit a quotation and accept NIH's purchase order.

IMPORTANT:

This RFQ does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation or the submission of a quotation or contracting for supplies or services.

Attachments:

Attachment 1 – Purchase Description

Attachment 2 – Additional Terms and Conditions

Attachment 3 -  FAR 52.212-3 and 52.204-24 Certifications

Attachment 4 – Invoice Instructions