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-NIAID-2085906 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) 2021-06, Effective 07/12/2021. 

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard size of 1,000 employees.

This requirement is not set-aside for small business.

This is Brand-name requirement.

Background and description of requirement:

The mission of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) is to conduct and perform research that facilitates the development of vaccines and therapeutics for human diseases, including emerging infectious diseases i.e., SARS-CoV-2. To understand immune determinants that correlate with reduced transmission and disease severity, it is necessary to characterize not only the quantity of the antibody response but also the quality following natural infection and vaccination. Furthermore, as new variants of concern continue to arise, it has become critical for vaccine development to identify candidates which generate antibodies with broad reactivity.

To measure the humoral quality of the antibody response elicited by vaccination or through natural infection, we would like to purchase the MSD V-PLEX® SARS-CoV-2 serology panel. This kit will allow us to reduce the sample requirement for sera analysis, improve accuracy and precision, and measure sera reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and the variants of concern in a single well.

V-PLEX products are the only consumables available with MULTI-ARRAY technology capable of running on the MSD platform as no other technologies allow for multiplexed detection using ECL. Furthermore, no other suppliers provide an ECL detection system that does not rely on beads or flow cells. The products are fully validated in multiple matrices according to fit-for-purpose principles and the FDA’s analytical validation guidelines. Each kit is supplied with qualified reagents and calibrator lots anchored to reference standards resulting in lot-to-lot reproducibility guaranteed with inter-lot bridging to support long-term immune studies.

Item Requirements:

Brand: Meso Scale Discovery

Item: V-Plex SARS-CoV-2 Panel 5 (IgG) Kit (25 PL)

Cat #K15429U-4

QTY: 4

Place of Delivery: NIAID/VRC, 40 Convent Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892

Delivery Date:

30 days ARO

*Include your DUNS number on quote

*Include response to FAR 52.204-26 attachment and return with quote

*Include response to FAR 52.204-24 if applicable

* By submitting a quotation, you are accepting that all government terms and conditions set forth herein shall prevail over the award.

The government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order to the responsible contractor because of this RFQ that will include the terms and conditions set forth herein. The award will be based the lowest price technically acceptable. By submitting a quotation, you are accepting that all government terms and conditions set forth herein shall prevail over the award. The technical evaluation will be based on the following: technical capability to meet the requirements listed on the Bill of Materials, and then price.

The following FAR provisions apply to this acquisition:

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 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items (Jul 2020)

FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (Feb 2021)

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)

The following FAR contract clauses apply to this acquisition:

FAR 52-212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (Oct 2018)

FAR 52-212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items (Jul 2021)

FAR 52.203-19 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements (Jan 2017)

FAR 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Aug 2020)

FAR 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Dec 2013)

FAR 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications (Dec 2014)

HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (Dec 2015)

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 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 & http: //www.hhs.gov/regulation/index.html or, upon request, either by telephone or fax.

Offers may be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed to Ms. Skye Duffner, (E-Mail/ [email protected] 406-802-6092). Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f) (Jun 2020)

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 Ms. Skye Duffner at [email protected].