Ferrets

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, in conjunction with FAR 13, as applicable, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested. This is a full and open competition. Solicitation number NIAID15-JDB03172015 is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-77 dated December 2014. The full text of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation Supplement (HHSAR) can be accessed via the Internet at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm (FAR) and http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vfhhsara.htm (HHSAR). This acquisition will be processed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). All responsible sources may submit an offer that will be considered by this agency. The North American Industrial Classification System Code is 112930 and the small business size standard is $0.75 million. The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/NIAID), has a requirement for ferrets in support of the Emerging Respiratory Virus Section (ERVS). The proposed acquisition is to provide Ferrets of various ages ranging from below 8 weeks to 24 weeks. The Ferrets must be influenza-free and pathogen free to support the evaluation of experimental pandemic influenza vaccine candidates and studying transmissibility of influenza viruses in animal models. The estimated maximum amount is 1200 during the period of performance. The period of performance will be for 5 years from the date of award. In accordance with FAR 12.301 the following commercial solicitation provisions and contract clauses are applicable to this requirement: 52.212-1 -- Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (Apr 2014), Additional Instructions: The Government will issue a Firm Fixed Price contract for this requirement to the responsible contractor. The offeror shall submit their complete response to this solicitation in accordance with the below Evaluation criteria listed in 52.212-2. 1) Corporate Experience and Technical Requirements will be evaluated and rated as follows: Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, and Unacceptable. 2) Past Performance/Performance Risk: Degree of confidence the Government has in the Offeror's ability to provide the requirements of the solicitation based on the offeror's demonstrated record of performance on recent relevant efforts. NIAID will assess the relevancy of the experience and if relevant evaluate the Offeror's past performance (how well the offeror performed on the referenced projects). If the offeror has no relevant past performance references, it will be evaluated as Neutral. The contractor shall provide at least three past performance references within the past 3 years providing the same or similar laboratory animals. Past Performance will be rated as follows: Very Relevant, Relevant, Somewhat Relevant, Not Relevant, Substantial Confidence, Satisfactory Confidence, and Limited Confidence. 52.212-3 -- Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items ( Dec 2014). By submission of an Offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee shall have posted their FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representative and Certifications Commercial items and services in the SAM database. By submission of an offer, the Offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment resulting from this solicitation (www.sam.gov). Any questions concerning this solicitation shall be submitted to the contracting office via email to Jennifer Burke, no later than 12:00 PM eastern standard time 22 March, 2015. 52.212-4 -- Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items (May 2014). The following FAR clauses are provided in full text: 52.212-2 -- Evaluation -- Commercial Items (Oct 2014) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: (i) Corporate Experience: The offeror's experience providing and breeding specific pathogen free ferrets or similar research quality animals for biomedical research. (ii) Technical Requirements: The offeror shall demonstrate that they have the facilities and capacity to breed large numbers of ferrets up to (1200). Offeror must also demonstrate the ability to deliver to NIH in Bethesda Maryland within 24 hours of ordering. (iii) Past Performance: The offeror shall provide past performance information providing the same or similar type of pathogen free ferrets or other research quality animals within the last three years. Technical and past performance are considered equal and when combined are significantly more important than cost or price. (iv) price; The offeror shall provide their rates for the proposed categories proposed and any applicable handling fees that will be assessed against the Other Direct Cost line. The contractor can provide their commercial price lists as backup for their pricing. An itemized cost proposal is requested. However, the Government may request other than cost and pricing data if necessary to determine the reasonableness of proposed prices. The offeror shall provide their prices in accordance with the below Line Item structure. The Government has provided their estimated NTE cost of $500,000.00 for the services. The offeror provides prices for ferrets and their service prices for competitive pricing evaluation. Description Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total CLIN 0001 Ferrets 8 weeks of age or younger 10 each CLIN 0002 Ferrets 9-23 weeks of age 50 each CLIN 0003 Ferrets 24 weeks and older 1200 each CLIN 0004 Other Direct Costs to include: Offeror can fill in individual prices for each of the services below. They will be ordered on each individual task order. Only the NTE price will be listed on the award. The individual prices for services will not be listed. 1 Lot NTE $500,000.00 NTE $500,000.00 Castration Spraying Descenting Castration and Descenting Spraying and Descenting Husbandry (Feeding) Health Certificate Blood/Serum Sample Avid Microchip/ tracking Shipping Crates (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. The following contract terms and conditions apply this acquisition: FAR 52. 202-1, Definitions, 52.203-3 - Gratuities, 52.203-12 -- Limitation on Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions, 52.203-17 - Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirement To Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights. (Apr 2014)52.204-4 -- Printed or Copied Double-Sided on Postconsumer Fiber Content Paper, FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management, 52.209-2 -- Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations--Representation. (Dec 2014)52.242-13 - Bankruptcy. 52.212-5 -- Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive (Dec 2014),(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items: 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Dec 2014), 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (FEB 2009) (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)). 52.233-3, Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553), (4) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004) (Public Laws 108-77, 108-78 (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)), 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 4704 and 10 U.S.C. 2402). 52.204-10, Reporting Executive compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jul 2013) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.204-15, Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery Contracts (Jan 2014) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (Aug 2013) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). (9) 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Jul 2013) (41 U.S.C. 2313). 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Aside (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 644). 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Oct 2014) (15 U.S.C. 637(d) (2) and (3)). 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(14)). 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation (Jul 2013) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)). 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755).52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2014) (E.O. 13126). 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999).52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246).52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Jul 2014) (38 U.S.C. 4212).52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jul 2014) (29 U.S.C. 793).52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Jul 2014) (38 U.S.C. 4212).52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496).52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification (Aug 2013). (Executive Order 12989). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial items as prescribed in 22.1803.) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging while Driving (Aug 2011) (E.O. 13513). 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008) (E.O.'s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury). 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer- System for Award Management (Jul 2013) (31 U.S.C. 3332), 52.216-18 - Ordering. (Oct 1995)(a) Any supplies and services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of delivery orders or task orders by the individuals or activities designated in the Schedule. Such orders may be issued from time of award through three years, 352.270-5 Care of laboratory animals. (a) As prescribed in 370.403(a), the Contracting Officer shall insert the following provision: Notice to Offerors of Requirement for Compliance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (January 2006) The Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) establishes a number of requirements for research activities involving animals. Before award may be made to an applicant organization, the organization shall file, with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), National Institutes of Health (NIH), a written Animal Welfare Assurance (Assurance) which commits the organization to comply with the provisions of the PHS Policy, the Animal Welfare Act, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Academy Press, Washington, DC). In accordance with the PHS Policy, applicant organizations must establish an Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC), qualified through the experience and expertise of its members, to oversee the institution's animal program, facilities and procedures. Applicant organizations are required to provide verification of IACUC approval prior to release of an award involving live vertebrate animals. No award involving the use of animals shall be made unless OLAW approves the Assurance and verification of IACUC approval for the proposed animal activities has been provided to the Contracting Officer. Prior to award, the Contracting Officer will notify Contractor(s) selected for projects that involve live vertebrate animals that an Assurance and verification of IACUC approval are required. The Contracting Officer will request that OLAW negotiate an acceptable Assurance with those Contractor(s) and request verification of IACUC approval. For further information, contact OLAW at NIH, 6705 Rockledge Drive, RKL1, Suite 360, MSC 7982 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7982 (E-mail: [email protected]; Phone: 301-496-7163). (End of provision) (b) As prescribed in 370.404, the Contracting Officer shall insert the following clause: Care of Live Vertebrate Animals (October 2009)(a) Before undertaking performance of any contract involving animal-related activities where the species is regulated by USDA, the Contractor shall register with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States in accordance with 7 U.S.C. 2136 and 9 CFR sections 2.25 through 2.28. The Contractor shall furnish evidence of the registration to the Contracting Officer. (b) The Contractor shall acquire vertebrate animals used in research from a dealer licensed by the Secretary of Agriculture under 7 U.S.C. 2133 and 9 CFR Sections 2.1-2.11, or from a source that is exempt from licensing under those sections. (c) The Contractor agrees that the care, use and intended use of any live vertebrate animals in the performance of this contract shall conform with the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care of Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy), the current Animal Welfare Assurance (Assurance), the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Academy Press, Washington, DC) and the pertinent laws and regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture (see 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq. and 9 CFR Subchapter A, Parts 1-4). In case of conflict between standards, the more stringent standard shall govern. (d) If at any time during performance of this contract, the Contracting Officer determines, in consultation with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), National Institutes of Health (NIH), that the Contractor is not in compliance with any of the requirements and standards stated in paragraphs (a) through (c) above, the Contracting Officer may immediately suspend, in whole or in part, work and further payments under this contract until the Contractor corrects the noncompliance. Notice of the suspension may be communicated by telephone and confirmed in writing. If the Contractor fails to complete corrective action within the period of time designated in the Contracting Officer's written notice of suspension, the Contracting Officer may, in consultation with OLAW, NIH, terminate this contract in whole or in part, and the Contractor's name may be removed from the list of those contractors with approved Assurances. 52.216-19 -- Order Limitations (Oct 1995), (a) Minimum order. When the Government requires supplies or services covered by this contract in an amount of less than _50, the Government is not obligated to purchase, nor is the Contractor obligated to furnish, those supplies or services under the contract. (b) Maximum order. The Contractor is not obligated to honor --(1) Any order for a single item in excess of 1,200,(2) Any order for a combination of items in excess of 1,200; or(3) A series of orders from the same ordering office within 30 days that together call for quantities exceeding the limitation in subparagraph (b)(1) or (2) of this section.(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the Contractor shall honor any order exceeding the maximum order limitations in paragraph (b), unless that order (or orders) is returned to the ordering office within 5 days after issuance, with written notice stating the Contractor's intent not to ship the item (or items) called for and the reasons. Upon receiving this notice, the Government may acquire the supplies or services from another source.,52.216-22 -- Indefinite Quantity (Oct 1995)(a) This is an indefinite-quantity contract for the supplies or services specified, and effective for the period stated, in the Schedule. The quantities of supplies and services specified in the Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. (b) Delivery or performance shall be made only as authorized by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering clause. The Contractor shall furnish to the Government, when and if ordered, the supplies or services specified in the Schedule up to and including the quantity designated in the Schedule as the "maximum." The Government shall order at least the quantity of supplies or services designated in the Schedule as the "minimum."(c) Except for any limitations on quantities in the Order Limitations clause or in the Schedule, there is no limit on the number of orders that may be issued. The Government may issue orders requiring delivery to multiple destinations or performance at multiple locations. (d) Any order issued during the effective period of this contract and not completed within that period shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. The contract shall govern the Contractor's and Government's rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contract's effective period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries under this contract after three years. HHSAR Clauses. 352.202-1 Definitions, 352.203-70 Anti-lobbying, 352.222-70 Contractor cooperation in equal employment opportunity investigations. In order to be considered for an award, an offeror must have completed the electronic Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) at https://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 4.1201(a). The offeror should also provide its Commercial and Government Entity (Cage) code, Contractor Establishment code (DUNS number) and Tax Identification Number. Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management to submit quotes and be eligible for award (NO EXCEPTIONS). For information on registering with SAM, visit www.sam.gov. If a change occurs in this requirement, only those offerors that respond to this announcement within the required time frame will be provided any changes/amendments and considered for award. An offer for this request shall be submitted electronically by e-mail to [email protected]. Written or emailed information must be received at this office on or before 26 March 2015, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.