Laboratory Animal Feed and Bedding

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items using Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This acquisition will be made in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 “Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and solicitation for commercial Items,” as applicable, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation (a written solicitation will not be issued) and quotes are being requested. The Solicitation number is RFQ-NIH-2071254 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotes (RFQ). This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2022-04 January 30, 2022. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 311119, Other Animal Feed Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 500 employees. The requirement is being competed full and open competition, un-restricted and without a small business set-aside. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Comparative Medicine Branch (CMB), is currently seeking sources capable of providing laboratory animal feed and bedding to multiple facilities located on the main NIH campus at 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD. The Comparative Medicine Branch (CMB) is a branch within the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) at the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CMB is responsible for care, housing, and husbandry for all DIR/NIAID research animals. The CMB operates within 5 animal care facilities located on the NIH campus at 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda MD, and 1 animal care facility at 12735 Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville, MD. The animals housed and fed at any point in time may include mice, rats, ferrets, rabbits, chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, and non-human primates. On average, NIAID houses 135,000 animals at any given time. Project Requirements Successful offerors must have the knowledge, skill, ability, and resources to reliably provide animal feed and bedding for the CMB. The CMB generally places orders on a weekly basis to accommodate existing populations of research animals and in anticipation of new animal arrivals. These orders support all NIAID vivariums on the NIH campus. All research animals require routine feeding and cage bedding changing. Maintenance of these animals must be in accordance with research protocols and AAALAS certification requirements. Specific items for each weekly order will vary but will be submitted by NIAID staff to the vendor at least 5 business days prior to delivery. The orders will be submitted via the NIH IntraMalls system (https://intramalls.com). Responsive vendors will need to be registered within 10 days after the solicitation close date to accept orders in this system as part of a successful award. Feed and bedding selections require prior scientific justification from the Primary Investigators and facility veterinarians as any variation in diet may change study variables and negatively impact research results. Therefore, once awarded, this acquisition will accept no substitutions of product unless approved in advance and via within scope order modification. Any delays in shipping or backorders must be communicated to the requester prior to the shipping date. Products specifications and minimum requirements are listed in an attachment to this notice. ( See attachment: Statement of Work (SOW)). A Bill of Material (BOM) is also provided as an attachment to this notice ( See attachment: BOM ). It is fillable form and shall be utilize for pricing / quote submission. The Government anticipates awarding a firm fixed price purchase order, after solicitation, for this requirement. Anticipated Period of Performance It is anticipated that an award will be made on or before March 11, 2022, for an estimated base period of March 14, 2022 – March 13, 2023 with up to four option years (OY): OY1 03/14/2023-03/13/2024, OY2 03/14/2024-03/13/2025, OY3 03/14/2025–03/13/2026, OY5 03/14/2026-03/13/2027. All interested parties should submit quotes based on the criteria detailed in the Statement of Work attached to this RFQ. Offerors must quote all products listed for the base year and all 4 option years per the attached Bill of Material (BOM). Offerors shall include an explanation of their Quality Assurance Plan, Food Safety and Certifications, and Contingency Plans as outlined in the Contractor Requirements and Quoting Instructions section in the attached Statement of Work. This acquisition will be administered by Intramalls LLC and the successful vendor must be registered with Intramalls. Orders will be entered weekly and must be consolidated to one bi-monthly or monthly invoice. Place of Performance: NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, BLDG 10 Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20852, United States. FOB: Destination Multiple delivery locations required as outline in the Statement of Work (SOW). The government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order to the responsible contractor as a result of this RFQ that will include the terms and conditions set forth herein. The award will be based on the following: technical capability to meet the requirements and price. The award will be made using Lowest Price Technically Acceptable procedures. The following FAR provisions apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items (Nov 2021) FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (Nov 2021) FAR 52.204-7 System for Award Management (Oct 2018) (Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://www.sam.gov/ in accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items (Please ensure 52.209-2 -- Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations--Representation. (Nov 2015) is updated in your SAM record) FAR 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements – Representation (Jan 2017) FAR 52.204–26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (OCT 2020) *** Must complete representation if attached to this solicitation- see attachment 52.204-26 / have completed certification in SAM.gov. The following FAR contract clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52-212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (NOV 2021) FAR 52-212.5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items (JAN 2022) *The applicable subparagraphs of FAR52.212-5 are included in the attachment to this posting. FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) FAR 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Nov 2021) FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) HHSAR 352.222-70 , Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 2015) FAR 52.252-2 -- Clauses Incorporated by Reference. (Feb 1998) 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 this address: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm 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 submission of quotes, during performance, and through final payment of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation (www.sam.gov). Copies of the above-referenced provisions and clauses are available from http://www.acquisition.gov/far/loadmainre.html & http: //www.hhs.gov/regulation/index.html or, upon request, either by telephone or fax. Submission shall be received not later than March 03, 2022 @ 5:00 EST Offers may be e-mailed to Bevin Feutrier (E-Mail/ [email protected]). Offers shall include RFQ number in the subject line (RFQ-NIH-2071254). Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f) All responsible sources may submit an offer that will be considered by this Agency. Any questions or concerns regarding this solicitation should be forwarded in writing via e-mail to Bevin Feutrier @ [email protected].