(ii) The solicitation number is 75N95019Q00027 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ).

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-Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12-Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-101, dated October 26, 2018.

(iv) The associated NAICS code 325414 and the small business size standard is 1,250 employees. This requirement is full and open with no set-aside restrictions.

(v) Generic Name of Product: Sensory neurons.

Background: The Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL) within the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Division of Preclinical Innovation (DPI) requires Human iPSC-Derived Sensory Neuron Progenitors in order to meet SCTL project milestones for the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative. The sensory neurons will be used as critical control cells. SCTL scientists will compare the nociceptors derived from their protocol with those commercial available sensory neurons and observe transcription profiles, expression of specific protein marker, epigenetic landscapes, electrophysiology properties, etc.

(vi) Purchase Description: see RFQ Attachment No. 01.

(vii) Delivery Date: Delivery within 15 days after receipt of order (ARO).

Delivery Location:
ATTN: Pinar Ormanoglu
NCATS
9800 Medical Center Drive, Bldg B, Rm 213
Rockville, MD 20850
United States

Packing Requirements: Delivery must be packed with dry ice.

(viii) Evaluation Criteria: The Government will award a purchase order from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes:
a. Technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement;
b. Price; and
c. Past performance [see FAR 13.106-2(b)(3)].

(ix) The following provisions/clauses are incorporated by reference to this solicitation:

• The provision at FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018).

• The provision at FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018).

• The provision at FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Jul 2016).

• The clause at FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Jul 2016).

• The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (Oct 2018).

• The provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications --Commercial Items (Oct 2018).

• The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items (Oct 2018).

• The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (Oct 2018). This clause is provided in full text as an attachment to this solicitation.

• The clause at FAR 52.225-2, Buy American Certificate (May 2014).

• The provision at FAR 52.225-25, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Certain Activities or Transactions Relating to Iran -- Representation and Certification (Aug 2018).

• The NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (2/2014). These provisions are provided in full text as an attachment to this solicitation.

Responses must verify the representation and certifications currently posted electronically in the System of Award Management (SAM) at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, have been entered or updated in the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation as of the date of the quotation and are incorporated in the quotation by reference (see FAR 4.1201). If there are any changes or exceptions, responses must follow the instructions in paragraph (b) of FAR 52.212-3 and include an attached, completed copy of FAR 52.212-3.

(x) 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) and the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received on or before 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, November 29, 2018, and reference number 75N95019Q00027. Responses must be submitted electronically to Mark McNally, Contract Specialist, at [email protected]. Fax responses will not be accepted.

(xvi) The contact for information regarding this solicitation is Mark McNally, Contract Specialist, [email protected], 301-827-5869.