This is a Request for Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e). The Government is seeking a contractor that can provide and deliver the 2012-2013 Season Influenza Virus Vaccine to over 295 FOH Occupational Health Centers in numerous city locations within the 48 continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. The Government is requesting information regarding the availability, delivery, and pricing. FOH anticipates administering approximately 200,290 doses, provided in 50% multi-dose vials and 50% single dose pre-filled syringes unless specifically authorized by COTR. The Government is requesting Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) pricing or Big 4 pricing. Please refer to Attachment A for shipping locations. TITLE Injectable Influenza Virus Vaccine BACKGROUND The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Program Support Center (PSC), Federal Occupational Health Service (FOH), provides occupational health services to other Federal agencies. FOH provides occupational health (OH) consultation, and stimulates the development of improved OH and safety programs throughout the Federal Government. FOH defines OH from the Federal Government perspective as "a comprehensive approach, with a public health perspective, to improving the health and safety of the Federal work force; thereby increasing their productivity, and decreasing the Government's liability and health care costs through various clinical, environmental, educational, and risk-based prevention programs." The FOH mission is to be the benchmark for Federal OH programs. FOH is the single largest provider of OH services in the Federal government, serving more than 360 Federal government agencies and departments and reaching more than 1.5 million Federal government employees. FOH provides these services to other Federal agencies under 42 USC 231. These services are 100% reimbursed by the agencies to FOH. Agreements are negotiated with Federal government departments' and agencies' national headquarters, and/or with their regional/local components. Some agreements contain a standard package of OH program components. One of these services is the provision of influenza vaccination to prevent seasonal flu. The program helps assure the implementation of effective immunization practices and proper use of vaccines to achieve higher immunization coverage. STATEMENT OF SERVICES The contractor would be expected to provide and deliver the 2012-2013 Season Influenza Virus Vaccines to over 295 FOH Occupational Health Centers in numerous city locations within the 48 continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Contractor would be expected to follow all CDC recommendations for the 2012-2013 Season Influenza Season, related to procurement, storage, and shipment of influenza vaccine. Vaccine order would be pre-booked such that the first shipment would be delivered during the first week of September 2012. SHIPPING AND PACKAGING INSTRUCTIONS Refrigerated 2012-2013 Season Influenza Vaccine would be expected to ship Monday through Thursday, excluding Federal Holidays, overnight or second day air in insulated containers, between 09:00 am through 12:00 pm and 1:00pm through 4:30 pm local time. Vaccines must be shipped utilizing proper cold chain management and must be received without compromising the cold chain and vaccine. Proper temperature monitoring shall be used to ensure proper cold chain management. Vaccines shall be packed to ensure maintenance of FDA recommended temperature during transit and safe arrival at destination. An electronic temperature monitoring device is required with each shipment unless Contractor has obtained prior approval from CDC to use an alternative monitoring method. Upon delivery of vaccines to each FOH OHC, temperature monitoring device used for shipping shall indicate no compromise in cold chain management. Vaccines that are compromised by cold chain management due to contractor error shall be replaced by the contractor within 24-hours, with no additional cost to the government. The contractor shall be expected to use the DDS2 UPS program for government contractors to ship all packages, or a similar shipping program that is comparable in cost. Contractor would be expected to provide the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) with documentation that explains the cause of each temperature excursion and stability data used by the contractor to determine if the cold chain was adversely affected by temperature variance. The flu vaccine quantities would be expected to be delivered to the locations specified in Attachment A: Shipping Locations. Delivery would be made to FOH OHCs with delivery time during the first week of September 2012, or no later than the first delivery dates seen by other government or commercial customer industry-wide. Contractor would be expected to ensure availability and consistency of product. If a single shipment of total quantities ordered is not possible during the first week of September 2012, FOH will accept no less than 1/3 of each FOH facility's requirements by the first week of September 2012. No more than two additional shipments of the remaining ordered quantities shall be made. The first shipment for the balance of product ordered must be for at least 1/3 of an individual facility's ordered quantity and must be shipped no later than October 1, 2012. The remainder of an individual facility's entire ordered quantity and must be shipped no later than November 1, 2012. Vaccine doses provided and delivered to each location shall be 50% multi-dose vials and 50% single dose pre-filled syringes unless specifically authorized by COTR. For emergency situations requiring delivery methods outside of those currently covered by the potential contract, the Government and the Contractor would determine mutually agreeable terms regarding cost prior to execution. SHELF LIFE Vaccine provided shall have a minimum 12 month shelf life remaining upon delivery to the consignee. PACKAGING AND MARKING Vaccines that are compromised by cold chain management due to contractor error shall be replaced by the contractor within 24-hours, with no additional cost to the government. The contractor would be expected to use the DDS2 UPS program for government contractors to ship all packages, or a similar shipping program that is comparable in cost. All deliverables shall be preserved, packaged, and packed in accordance with normal commercial practices to meet the packaging requirements of the carrier including that which is necessary to prevent deterioration and damages due to the hazard of shipping, handling, and storing. Vaccines shall be packed to ensure maintenance of FDA recommended temperature during transit and safe arrival at destination. An electronic temperature monitoring device is required with each shipment unless Contractor has obtained prior approval from CDC to use an alternative monitoring method. Contractor would be expected to provide the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) with documentation that explains the cause of each temperature excursion and stability data used by the contractor to determine if the cold chain was adversely affected by temperature variance. All information and deliverables would be delivered to the address specified by FOH as "Place of Delivery" and shall be marked as follows: D.1. Name and Address of the Offeror; D.2. Contract Number: (to be determined) D.3. Description and volume of the items contained therein; and D.4. Consignee's name and address INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE All work would be subject to inspection and final acceptance by the Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative of the Government. The Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) is a duly authorized representative of the Government and is responsible for the inspection and acceptance of all items to be delivered. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE Request for information only. Contractor would be expected to provide and deliver 2012-2013 Season Influenza virus vaccines to over 295 FOH Occupational Health Centers in numerous city locations within the 48 continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. The contractor shall not require use of government space to store or ship the vaccine. Disclaimer: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purpose and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI will be treated as business confidential information, and exempted from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Nonetheless, submitters should properly mark their responses if the information is confidential. Response to the RFI will not be returned. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expense associated with responding to this RFI. HOW TO RESPOND: Please submit your information no later than March 9, 2012. Preferred media is electronic copies in Microsoft Word, Power Point, or Excel. Preferred method of submission is via email. Point of Contact: NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE SUMBIT VIA E-MAIL by February 22, 2012. All responses to questions will be answered and posted on FBO. Leslie Lucas Contract Specialist
[email protected] Timothy Bouchelle Contract Officer
[email protected] Contracting Office address: Building #14 Perry Point MD, 21902