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; HUBZone 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 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."

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is
311119 - Other Animal Food Manufacturing, Small Business Size Standard is 500 employees.

The National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) requires Rodent Chow, catalog #1815315 for 5K96 AVP CASEIN BS ROD10-IF IR1/2AS PELLET 1/2IRR ASSAY, to evaluate the acceptability of various rodent diets for continued BPA studies.

1. Work to be performed by the diet vendor.
• Diet will be manufactured according to the specifications provided for Verified Casein Diet 10 IF, 5K96, irradiated (catalog# 1815315) and described in www.testdiet.com.
• In addition to the chow purchase, and as part of the contract requirement, the diet vendor will supply with each lot of chow manufactured a chow sample, post-irradiation, for chemical analyses (by the manufacturer) which will result in a documented Certificate of Analysis. These analyses will include, but not be limited to: heavy metal contaminants, proximate analyses of nutrients, pathogen microbial screen, organochlorinated pesticides, microbial contaminants (aflatoxins and fumonisins), etc. as specified under Appendix 3, Limits of Contaminant Levels, In: Specifications for the Conduct of Studies to Evaluate the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Chemical, Biological and Physical Agents in Laboratory Animals for the National Toxicology Program (NTP), May, 2011. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/Test_Info/FinalNTP_ReproSpecsMay2011.pdf
• Each diet delivery shall be analyzed by the vendor according to NTP May 2011 specifications and shall include, but not be limited to: heavy metal contaminants, proximate analyses of nutrients, pathogen microbial screen, organochlorinated pesticides, microbial contaminants (aflatoxins and fumonisins), etc. These series of analyses will result in a documented Certificate of Analysis for each lot of diet. The Certificate of Analyses shall accompany each diet delivery.
• Fumonisin B1 & B2, vitamin E, and total volatile nitrosamines shall be added to the analyte list of the Certificate of Analyses.
• Diet shall be shipped from LabDiets®TestDiet® directly via certified, commercial freight.
• Diet shall be packaged as per industry standard for irradiation.

The contractor shall provide four shipments of Rodent chow to be delivered over an eight month period and 1 option year for 3 shipments of Rodent Chow to be delivered over seven months as follows:

Base Period:
Shipment 1: 21,288 kg -Must be delivered on Jan 7, 2013
Shipment 2: 17, 267 kg - Must be delivered on April 22, 2013.
Shipment 3: 13,702 kg - Must be delivered on August 5, 2013
Shipment 4: 9,756 kg - Must be delivered on November 18, 2013.

Option Year 1:
Shipment 1: 21,288 kg -Must be delivered on March 3, 2014.
Shipment 2: 17, 267 kg - Must be delivered on June 16, 2014.
Shipment 3: 13,702 kg - Must be delivered on September 14, 2014.

Interested Contractors must respond with capability statements to include information regarding the following: (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. References provided should be within the last three (3) years.

Potential contractors must indicate DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code.

Capability statements are due in person, by postal mail or email to the point of contact listed below on or before June 4, 2012, by 13:00 hours (Central Standard Time in Jefferson, Arkansas) at the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Acquisitions & Grants Services, Attn: Regina Williams, 3900 NCTR Road, HFT-320, Jefferson, AR 72079-9502 or email [email protected]. Reference FDA1102551.

Disclaimer and Important Notes. 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. 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)."

 

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