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; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is 75N95021Q00183 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 expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. THIS IS A NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Office of Acquisition (OA), on behalf of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name) to Scintica Inc., 721 Tristar Dr., Webster, TX, 77598-1302. This acquisition is conducted as non-competitive for a commercial item or service and is conducted pursuant to FAR 13.106-(b)(1). (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2021-05, with effective date March 10, 2021. (iv) The associated NAICS code 423450 and the small business size standard is 500 employees. This requirement has no set-aside restrictions. (v) Background: The Drug Design & Development Section (DDDS) part of TGB in the NIA, is generating a series of anti-inflammatory drugs targeting pro-inflammatory cytokines. The drugs are to target the synthesis of cytokines in brain tissues from acute and chronic neurodegenerative disease. A classical example of a chronic neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer’s Disease. An acute neurodegenerative disease is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Very often changes in brain tissue oxygen levels are observed in TBI, and time dependent changes in brain tissue vascularization occurs in chronic neurodegenerative disease. Minimally invasive tools designed to measure brain tissue oxygen levels would be great benefit to the DDDS in evaluating possible drug benefits to tissue oxygenation in animal models of acute and chronic neurodegeneration. Presently we do not have a minimally invasive instrument capable of measuring brain tissue oxygen levels, the instrument(s) described in this acquisition will allow us to measure the levels of tissue oxygen in small animal brains using small diameter fiber probes. The objective of the equipment described herein it to allow trained scientists to measure the effects of acute and neurodegenerative brain disease on brain tissue oxygen levels in a minimally invasive way that will allow for the measurements to be repeated over an extended period of time. To be able to do this we require the use of a small diameter fiber optic probe less than 500 µm in diameter. (vi) Project requirements and salient characteristic: OX-OXYLITE - OxyLite Monitoring System - 1 Channel tissue pO2 and temperature monitor, including 2-year comprehensive warranty; Quantity 1. OX-NX-BF/O/E - pO2 Bare-Fibre sensor; Quantity 2. MLS060/8 - LabChart 8 Software (for Windows and Mac) - The MLS060/8 LabChart 8 Software (for Windows and Mac) is supplied standard with all research PowerLab data acquisition systems. LabChart provides the user with multichannel recording and display in an easy to use environment. It also includes a multitude of powerful real time and offline computing and analysis features and functions; Quantity 1. Shipping - National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland. (vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition. The anticipated delivery date is within 3-6 weeks after receipt of order (ARO). (viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of provision) The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Jun 2020) FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Aug 2020) HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015) The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of clause) The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020) FAR 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contract for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Oct 2020) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Oct 2018). Addendum to this FAR clause applies to this acquisition and is attached. HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated as an attachment. Offerors MUST complete the provisions at FAR 52.204-24 and FAR 52.204-26 and submit completed copies as separate documents with their proposal. The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text: FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Oct 2020) FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (Jan 2021) NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions/Instructions for Submitting Electronic invoices (ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. (a) The Government will evaluate quotations or offers in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 and 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)]. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. (b) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. (x) The Offerors to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer. (xi) There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. (xiii) 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. Respondents that believe that they are manufacturers or authorized resellers of the brand-name product specified in this announcement must provide, as part of their response: (a) product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s); (b) product description; (c) all relevant information and documentation that the item(s) offered meets the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics as specified in the purchase description; quantity; estimated price or cost; shipping, handling, and/or installation charges; and delivery date after receipt of order. The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All quotations sent in response to this solicitation must be submitted to Fred Ettehadieh, Contracting Officer, electronically by email at
[email protected] on or before the closing date and time of this solicitation, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95021Q00183. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Facsimile responses will NOT be accepted.