Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION Maintenance Services for a Beckman Coulter LX flow cytometer This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR ... COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION Maintenance Services for a Beckman Coulter LX flow cytometer This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 – Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested, and a separate written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued under the authority of FAR Part 13 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The solicitation is a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for maintenance to a Beckman Coulter LX flow cytometer. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-02 effective October 23, 2020. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 811219 with a small business size standard of $20.5 Million. This acquisition is being procured as an 100% small business set aside. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Biomaterials Group acquired a Cytoflex LX flow cytometer from Beckman Coulter designed for detection of small particles to support projects within the group and throughout the Biosystems and Biomaterials Division pertinent to microbial measurements, including microbiome and biofilm measurements, development of synthetic microbial communities, cell enumeration, antibiotic resistance and synthetic biology. The instrument has five excitation lasers, 375 nm (near-UV), 405 nm (violet), 488 nm (blue), 561 and (yellow) 638 nm (red) with an option to implement an infra-red (IR) laser resulting in 19 fluorescent channels in addition to two scattering channels, side and forward on a total of 21 channels. It has been used in a series of applications including in the development of two microbial reference material. For the instrument to continue performing high quality measurement, an annual maintenance contract is crucial for its continued analytical performance, in accordance with the attached Statement of Work (SOW). Period of Performance: The period of performance for all line items shall be in accordance with the following: Base Year: 12 months from the date of award. Option Year One: One year from expiration of Base Year. Option Year Two: One year from expiration of Option I. Option Year Three: One year from expiration of Option II. Option Year Four: One year from expiration of Option III. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD The Government intends to award a single purchase order from this solicitation. The Government reserves the right not to award a purchase order. NIST intends to evaluate quotes and issue a contract based on the initial quotes received. Therefore, the Contractor’s initial quote should contain the Contractor’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint. NIST reserves the right to request revised quotes from, or negotiate final contract terms with, one or more, but not all, Contractors if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. Award will be made, if at all, to the responsible Contractor whose quote, conforming to the requirements of the solicitation, represents the lowest price technically acceptable solution to the Government. Technical Acceptability will be evaluated as follows: The Government will evaluate the Contractor's technical approach to determine that it has adequately demonstrated: Factor 1 – Technical Approach NIST will evaluate the extent in which the Contractor has demonstrated that it has access to the manufacturer’s replacement parts and to perform the required services. NIST will evaluate the extent to which the Contractor’s quote demonstrates its ability to successfully provide the required maintenance and repairs of the Beckman Coulter LX flow cytometer and accessories as outlined in the SOW. Factor 2 – Qualification of Personnel NIST will evaluate the extent to which the contractor’s engineers/technicians meet the qualifications required, as described in the SOW. Factor 3 - Price The Government will evaluate quotations for award inclusive of the process quoted for all optional line items. The Government may determine that a quotation is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options does not obligate the Government to exercise the options. CONTRACTOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF QUOTATIONS Technical Approach The Contractor must provide detailed information demonstrating that the Contractor has access to the manufacturer’s replacement parts to perform the required services. A letter or certificate issued by the manufacturer verifying access is acceptable proof. The Contractor shall also confirm its ability to respond to service call requests within 3 business days. Qualifications of Personnel The Contractor shall submit documentation providing the following: 1. Factory training on the CytoFlex LX must be the latest version per from the OEM. 2. The contractor must provide documentation that confirms that the Contractor has been servicing Beckman Coulter flow cytometers including the Cytoflex LX for at least the past two (2) years. Price Contractors shall provide a Firm-Fixed price for Line Items (CLINs) 0001 – 0005. CLIN 0001, Firm Fixed Price (Base year): Firm-Fixed price maintenance agreement, consumables, and travel, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the SOW. $__________________total firm-fixed price. CLIN 0002, Firm Fixed Price (Option I): Firm-Fixed price maintenance agreement, consumables, and travel, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the SOW. $__________________total firm-fixed price. CLIN 0003, Firm Fixed Price (Option II): Firm-Fixed price maintenance agreement, consumables, and travel, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the SOW. $__________________total firm-fixed price. CLIN 0004, Firm Fixed Price (Option III): Firm-Fixed price maintenance agreement, consumables, and travel, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the SOW. $__________________total firm-fixed price. CLIN 0005, Firm Fixed Price (Option IV): Firm-Fixed price maintenance agreement, consumables, and travel, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the SOW. $__________________total firm-fixed price. Any award resulting from this solicitation will contain the following statement: “The Government’s terms and conditions, identified herein, shall be the prevailing terms and conditions governing this award. In the event of a conflict between the Government’s and contractor’s terms and conditions, the Government’s terms and conditions take precedence.” If the Contractor objects to any of the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation, the contractor shall state “The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:” [Contractor shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s)]. It is the sole responsibility of the Contractor to identify in their quote any exceptions to the terms and conditions of the solicitation. If the contractor does not include such a statement, the submission of a quotation in response to this solicitation will be regarded as the Contractor’s acceptance of the Government’s terms and conditions for inclusion into the resultant award as prevailing. Contractors shall provide an active DUNS# for the System for Management (SAM) registration. If the Contractors representations and certifications in SAM.gov do not reflect the NAICS code governing this solicitation, the Contractor must submit documentation that they are a small business under the NAICS code governing this solicitation. A completed version of all required solicitation provisions (see attached provisions/clauses document – required submissions highlighted in blue). Please note that this procurement IS NOT being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If a contractor submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price. However, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the contractor’s FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation; ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA AND PAYMENT Government Acceptance: Acceptance will occur after the Government Technical Point of Contact has confirmed that all minimum requirements in this document have been met. Payment: Advance payment is not authorized. Partial Payments are authorized. The contractor may submit and quarterly invoices in arrears after Government acceptance has occurred. PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES: The clauses and provisions applicable to this solicitation can be found under the attachment Applicable Clauses & Provisions. The full text of a FAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at https://farsite.hill.af.mil or www.acquisition.gov/far. ATTACHMENTS: The following attachments apply to this solicitation: 1. The Statement of Work 2. Applicable Provisions and Clauses [GDE(1]SOW states emergency service calls within 3 business days. Needs to match the requirement [FED(2]Changed.