Brand Name Acquisition of Lab Products’ Mice Cages

OVERVIEW: 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; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.  The solicitation number is RFQ-NIAID-2102441 and it is issued as a Request for Quotes (RFQ).

This acquisition will be awarded 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) FAC 2022-02 and effective 01-14-2022. The Government anticipates awarding a single Firm Fixed Priced purchase order.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 333999 - All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 500 employees.

This requirement IS NOT SET-ASIDE for small business.

STATEMENT OF NEED: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Comparative Medicine Branch (CMB) is responsible for the housing and care of laboratory animals for the DIR in 7 unique locations both in Bethesda and Rockville.  The CMB needs to replace old, cracked and broken caging to ensure a safe and clean environment for the research animals. These cages and lids need to fit onto existing HDVR manufactured by Lab Products.

SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Manufacturer:

Lab Products, LLC

Parts:

7,000 units of Zyfone Super Mouse 750 AllerZone Micro-Isolator filter top

7,000 units of Zyfone Super Mouse cage 12-/78" x 7-1/2" x 5-5/8" w/air grommet (#75031-GA)

Please see attached Bill of Materials (BOM) for required equipment.

Place of Delivery: Building 33, RM BN25A, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States

FOB: Destination

Delivery Schedule: Within 60 days after award

Period of Performance: if applicable

Inspection and acceptance: All deliverables will be inspected by the project manager, a government employee of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. Acceptance will occur when results are successfully transferred to NIH per the specifications and format outline in the requirements above.

Quotes must contain enough information to demonstrate how these requirements will be met.

BRAND NAME ONLY: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1901 as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.5. A High-Density Ventilated Rack (HDVR) system is composed of unique-to-the-rack cages, which have specifically sized wire bars, feed hoppers, water bottles, and lids.  Cages are “hooked” to racks via air grommets which are unique to each manufacturer and only hold those cages that have valves and grommets that match.  Each rack manufacturer only makes cages and components that fit their own proprietary racks and caging systems and no manufacturer is available that makes cages guaranteed to fit or be interchangeable outside of their own company’s products. See attached Brand Name Only Justification for further details.

All responsible and eligible sources may submit a quotation, which will be considered by the agency.

INSTRUCTIONS: All quotes must include a point of contact (name, phone number & email) and company information (DUNS # and Cage Code).  Each response must clearly indicate the capability of the vendor to meet all specifications and requirements.  For included equipment and products, state whether the Offeror is the manufacturer and include Country of Origin information.  The Government may evaluate only those quotes that fully meet the requirements as outlined and respond to the solicitation instructions and requirements.  Failure to furnish a full and complete quote as instructed may result in the Vendor being considered non-responsive and eliminated from further consideration and award. The vendor must provide one quote with pricing only and one technical quote.  The technical quote must not contain any pricing information. The price quote must include shipping & handling and any other applicable fees.

By submission of an offer, the offeror acknowledges the requirement that a prospective awardee must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, 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).  [Note: Lack of registration in the SAM will make a vendor ineligible for award].

Submission must be received not later than February 9, 2022 @ 6 PM EST

Quote must be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist, Lu Chang at lu-chang.lu@nih.gov.  Late submissions will be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f) (Nov 2021).  All or part of the successful vendor’s quote may be incorporated in any contract resulting from this solicitation.  The successful vendor’s quote may be incorporated by reference.  Reference Solicitation ID: RFQ-NIAID-2102441 on your quote.

EVALUATION: The Government intends to award a firm-fixed-price purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer, conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the Government.  Award will be made on a lowest-priced technically acceptable basis considering the following three factors: technical, past performance, and price.  NIAID will first evaluate vendors’ prices, and then evaluate the apparent lowest-priced quote for acceptability under the technical and past performance factors.  If the lowest-price vendor is evaluated as unacceptable, NIAID will then consider the acceptability of the next lowest-price vendor, continuing this process as necessary. 

The Government anticipates selecting the offer that represents the best value to the government without engaging in clarifications with quoters but reserves the right should it be deemed in the Government’s best interest.  Quoters are strongly encouraged to submit their best technical solutions and price in response to this RFQ.

To facilitate the award process all quotes should include a statement regarding the terms and conditions herein as follows: "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion or addition." OR "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:" (Quoter must list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s).)

QUESTIONS: If you have questions regarding this requirement, please submit inquires immediately, but no later than February 1st, 2022 @ 6 PM EST, via email to the Contract Specialist, Lu Chang at lu-chang.lu@nih.gov. The Government will issue an amendment to the RFQ responding to questions, if needed.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO VENDORS: Vendors are advised that the Government may share your information with non-government personnel who are assisting with the evaluation of quotes.  The exclusive responsibility for source selection will reside with the Government.  By submitting your quote, you will be consenting to disclosure of your quote to non-government personnel for purposes of evaluation.  

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES:

52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference.  (Feb 1998)

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 this/these address(es): https://www.acquisition.gov/

52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)

52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)

52.229-11, Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements—Notice and Representation (Jun 2020)

(End of provision)

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/these address(es): https://www.acquisition.gov/

52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)

52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020)

52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021)

52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Nov 2021)

52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Nov 2021)

(End of clause)

Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulations (HHSAR)

The following additional Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulations (HHSAR) clauses are applicable to this requirement, copies are available from http://www.hhs.gov/policies/hhsar/:

Provisions

352.239-73 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015)

Clauses

352.203-70 Anti-Lobbying (December 18, 2015)

352.208-70 Printing and Duplication (December 18, 2015)

352.222-70 Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015)

352.239-74 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (December 18, 2015)

The following additional provisions and clauses are applicable to this requirement and provided in full text as Attachments:

FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021)

FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020)

FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Nov 2021) (Tailored)

FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Nov 2021)

FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (Jan 2022)

*Please note that the representations at (d) of FAR 52.204-24 must be completed and returned with all offers.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Bill of Materials

Invoice Instructions

Brand Name Only Justification

Edit: Questions and Answers has been attached (and see below)

Question: For the Zyfone cages requested in the subject solicitation, can you confirm that the cages must include only "air grommets" and not both "air and water grommets"?

Answer: Our cages DO NOT have automatic watering so we do not require water grommets