Contact Points
(i) 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 75N95021Q00378 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 and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The Government anticipates award of a firm-fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the anticipated award date is September 7, 2021.
(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2021-06 dated July 12, 2021.
(iv) This acquisition is a total small business set-aside. The associated NAICS code is 541380 and the small business size standard is $16.5 million.
DESCRIPTION
(v) The statement of work with a description of the services to be performed is included as Attachment 1 to this Solicitation.
(vi) The period of performance will be thirty (30) days.
PROVISIONS, CLAUSES, AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS
(vii) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items (Tailored), applies to this acquisition and is attached in full text.
- Technical capability to meet the Government requirement;
- Acceptability of the Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS);
- Price; and
- Past performance as defined under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3).
(ix) Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with offers.
(x) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.
(xi) The following FAR and HHSAR provisions and clauses are accessible electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/, apply to this acquisition, and are incorporated by reference:
FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)
FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)
FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)
FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020)
FAR 52.204-21, Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems (Jun 2016)
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 52.227-14, Rights in Data-General (May 2014). Pursuant to paragraph (d), the Contractor may not assert copyright, make use of, release to others, reproduce, distribute, or publish any data first produced or specifically used by the Contractor in the performance of this contract without prior approval of the contracting officer.
HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015)
HHSAR 352.223-70, Safety and Health (December 18, 2015)
The following apply to this acquisition and are incorporated in full text as attachments:
NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions and Electronic Invoicing Instructions for NIH Contractors/Vendors (2/10/2021): NIH implementation requirements of the PROMPT PAYMENT clause at FAR 52.232-25. Addendum to these invoicing instructions applies to this acquisition, and the additional instructions to offerors are as follows: The Contractor will invoice for quarterly in full upon completion of all work.
(xiii) HHSAR 352.270-5a, Notice to Offerors of Requirement for Compliance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (December 18, 2015)
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 awarding a contract to an offeror, 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, offerors must establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), qualified through the experience and expertise of its members, to oversee the institution’s animal program, facilities, and procedures. Offerors must provide verification of IACUC approval prior to receiving 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 involving live vertebrate animals of the Assurance and verification of IACUC approval requirement. 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: olaw@od.nih.gov; Phone: 301-496-7163).
(End of provision)
(xiv) HHSAR 352.270-5b, Care of Live Vertebrate Animals (December 18, 2015)
(a) Before undertaking performance of any contract involving animal-related activities where the species is regulated by the United Sates Department of Agriculture (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 Animal Welfare Assurances.
Note: The Contractor may request registration of its facility and a current listing of licensed dealers from the Regional Office of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA, for the region in which its research facility is located. The location of the appropriate APHIS Regional Office, as well as information concerning this program may be obtained by contacting the Animal Care Staff, USDA/APHIS, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, Maryland 20737 (E-mail: ace@aphis.usda.gov; website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare).
(End of clause)
SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS
(xv) Contractor Requirements: The services under this contract involves live vertebrate animals. Offerors must have:
- An active Animal Welfare Assurance (Assurance) from the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) project approval for this work. The date of IACUC approval must not be more than 36 months prior to the anticipated date of award.
(xvi) Animal Welfare: All work involving live, vertebrate animals shall be conducted in accordance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy). The PHS Policy can be accessed at:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm. In addition, the work involving live vertebrate animals shall be conducted in accordance with the description set forth in the Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS) of the Contractor’s quotation.
(xvii) Vertebrate Animals Section (VAS): The VAS should be no more than two (2) pages and must address the following criteria:
- Description of Procedures. Provide a concise description of the proposed procedures to be used that involve vertebrate animals in the work outlined in the Statement of Work. Identify the species, strains, ages, sex and total number of animals by species to be used in the proposed work.
- Justifications. Provide justification that the species are appropriate for the proposed research. Explain why the research goals cannot be accomplished using an alternative model (e.g., computational, human, invertebrate, in vitro).
- Minimization of Pain and Distress. Describe the interventions including analgesia, anesthesia, sedation, palliative care and humane endpoints to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury.
- Euthanasia. State whether the method of euthanasia is consistent with the recommendations of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. If not, describe the method and provide a scientific justification.
For more discussion regarding the VAS, see NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-16-006 at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-006.html.
The VAS Worksheet is provided as an attachment to this solicitation to assist in the preparation of the VAS.
(xviii) Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the offeror’s capability of providing the service. The quote must be for a firm-fixed-price total amount inclusive of all costs and fees.
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 responses must be received by 05:30 PM, Eastern Time on September 8, 2021, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95021Q00378. Responses must be submitted by email to the Contracting Officer at mark.mcnally@nih.gov.
All Offerors must include a Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS) with their quotation.
(xix) The name and telephone number of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation:
Mark McNally, Contracting Officer, 301-827-5869, mark.mcnally@nih.gov.
(Copies of all attachments available from the Contracting Officer upon request at mark.mcnally@nih.gov):
- Statement of Work
- VAS Worksheet
- FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items (Jul 2021) (Tailored)
- FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items (Jul 2021)
- NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions and Electronic Invoicing Instructions for NIH Contractors/Vendors (2/10/2021)
Interested parties may identify in writing their interest and capability in response to this requirement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.
All responses must be received by closing date and must reference the announcement. Responses may be submitted electronically to the attention of the contract specialist. Fax responses will not be accepted.
All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.