This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation Request for Quotation NIAID-RFQ-21-2057740 for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.  The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect with the Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-05 dated March 10, 2021.  The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is requesting to procure services of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) designated manufacturing and distribution (M&D) license to perform source exchange on one (1) J.L. Shepherd &Associated (JLS) irradiator Model 484R-2 (s/n 7230) with 3 each 6,500 Curie Cobalt-60 located at the Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Frederick, Maryland.  The select vendor will provide all labor, equipment, and material to install new source capsules as well as take possession and remove, decommission, transport, and recycle the source capsule being replaced.  This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items, and FAR Part 13 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures will be used for this acquisition. 

Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation.  This acquisition will be awarded as a firm-fixed price type of contract, and is a Total Small Business Set-Aside and SBA Non-Manufacturer Rule Class Waiver for “Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing” applies.  The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334517, with the size standard of 1,000.

Delivery to Frederick, Maryland 21702 with an estimated period of performance required for total performance is one (1) year from date and acceptance of award.

SITE VISIT

Pre-Award contractor visits to verify site information are allowed at Contractor’s expense.

INSTRUCTIONS

All interested vendors shall provide a quote for the requirement as outlined in the attached statement of work (SOW).  The Government may evaluate only those quotes that fully meet the requirements as outlined in the SOW and respond to the instructions and requirements below.  Failure to furnish a full and complete quote as instructed my result in the Offeror’s response being considered non-responsive and will therefore be eliminated from further consideration and award.

Quotes must be submitted via email to the contract Specialist, Tonia Alexander, at [email protected] on or before Thursday, April 1, 2021, 11:00am eastern standard time (EST).  Any quotation received by NIAID after this date and exact time specified is late and will not be considered.  All or part of the successful Offeror’s quote may be incorporated in any contract resulting from this solicitation.  The successful Offeror’s quote may be incorporated by reference.    

By submission of an offer, the Offeror confirms 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.  Note: Lack of registration in SAM will make an Offeror ineligible for award. 

SAFETY RECORD AND INELIGIBILTY

Any company who has had an overexposed employee is not eligible to quote on this requirement.  NIAID will view the United States Nuclear Regulatory  Commission website www.nrc.gov for enforcement actions.

EVALUATION

The NIAID will evaluate all quotes to determine the best value to the government. NIAID will make a Best Value Determination based on the capability of each offeror’s quote to meet the tasks and requirements outlined in the Statement of Work, past performance, and reasonable price.  Quotations that are evaluated as not technically acceptable will not be evaluated on past performance and price.  The following instruction must be addressed within your quote:

1. Contractor must provide documentation demonstrating the authority to perform the source reload task.  According to the Sealed Source and Device Registration (SSDR) Certificate No: CA598D113S, the JLS Model 484R-2 irradiator is a Category I self-contained dry storage irradiator. Therefore, the Contractor providing the service shall be authorized by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an Agreement State (Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended) in their license to provide service (source exchange) to Category I self-contained dry storage irradiators at the customer’s job site.
2. Contractor shall provide specifications and registrations demonstrating the proposed sealed sources are suitable and appropriately authorized by the NRC for installation in a JLS Model 484R-2 irradiator.
3. Contractor must provide proof of Trustworthy and Reliability determination for all workers who will be performing the source reload task and for any employees who will be receiving NIAID’s sensitive information as required under 10 CFR Part 37, “Physical Protection of Category 1 and Category 2 Quantities of Radioactive Material”. 
4. Contractor shall provide education and experience histories for all workers who will be on-site during the source reload.  NIAID reserves the right to deny access to any individual(s) deemed unsuitable upon review of credentials and past performance. 
5. The Contractor must possess a satisfactory record of past performance in terms of safety and regulatory compliance to be considered for selection.  Any history of injury, overexposures, NRC violations, etc., that occurred while performing this type of work will render the Contractor’s offer ineligible.
6. The Contractor must provide a written schedule of work to be completed.  If any factors exist that will potentially impact the project schedule or deliverable they should be identified and mitigations factors should be presented. 
7. The Contractor must demonstrate the capability to provide ongoing service and repair, including access to replacement parts, for NIAID’s JLS Model 484R-2 irradiator.  

 PAST PERFORMANCE

The Government will review the Contractors past performance by collecting and evaluating information provided by references.  These references will be used, in addition to any other past performance information evaluated by the contracting officer.  The Government may contact references offered and those other than identified by the Contractor and use that information in the past performance evaluation.  Contractor shall provide three references where radioactive source reload work was carried out on equipment similar to NIAID’s Model 484R-2 irradiator.  Reference shall be for projects performed as the Prime Contractor and no more than five years old.  Offeror may provide information on problems encountered on the contract(s) and corrective actions taken to resolve those problems – shall not exceed three pages in length.  Offeror shall have references submitted directly to the contracting office by the solicitation closing date.  For each reference, the following information is required:

1. Company name.
2. Company address.
3. Company point of contact: name, phone number and email.
4. Brief description of work
5. Dollar amount of contract

DISCUSSIONS

The Government intends to award without discussions, but reserves the right to conduct discussions should it be deemed in the Government’s best interest. 

QUESTIONS

If you have questions regarding this requirement, please submit inquiries immediately, but no later than Wednesday, March 24, 2021 11:00am EST, via email to the Contract Specialist, Tonia Alexander at [email protected].  The Government will issue an amendment to the RFQ responding to all questions, if needed.   

PROVISIONS, CLAUSES and OTHER

The following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition:

FAR Part 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Status or Executive Orders – Commercial Items (see attached)

FAR Part 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities the Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements – Representation

FAR Part 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements

FAR Part 52.204-7 System for Award Management

FAR Part 52.204-16 Commercial for Government Entity Code Reporting

FAR Part 52.204-24  Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services of Equipment

FAR Part 52.223-7 Notice of Radioactive Materials

FAR Part 52.237-2 Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment, and Vegetation

FAR Part 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business and Subcontractors

FAR Part 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order

By reference the Department of Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) provisions and clauses that are applicable to this requirement:

HHSAR 352.203-70 Anti-lobbying

HHSAR 352.208-70 Printing and Duplication

HHSAR 352.222-70 Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations

HHSAR 352.223-70 Safety and Health

HHSAR 352.224-71 Confidential Information

HHSAR 352.239-73 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice