Industrial Gas Deliveries

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION INDUSTRIAL GAS DELIVERIES BY SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS A Sources Sought Notice was posted on October 31, 2018 and closed on November 7, 2018. No responses as required by the Sources Sought notice were received. A full an open solicitation was posted on November 8, 2018 under solicitation number 1305M219QNWWG0022. 1. Description a. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in support of the National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking to identify small business concerns, with the capability and interest to deliver 300 cubic foot cylinders of argon, NOS, nitrogen, nitrogen (80), oxygen, and acetylene to National Data Buoy Center at Stennis Space Center, MS. b. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for informational and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, NOAA is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes. Interested parties are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued at a future date. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 2. Background a. It is unknown by the Government if there are small business manufacturers of argon, NOS, nitrogen, nitrogen (80), oxygen, and acetylene gases. Per 13 CFR 121.406 (b), for non-manufacturers, a firm may qualify as a small business concern for a requirement to provide manufactured products or other supply item as a non-manufacturer if it: (1) Does not exceed 500 employees; (2) Is primarily engaged in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sells the type of item being supplied; (3) Takes ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice; and (4) Will supply the end item of a small business manufacturer, processor or producer made in the United States, or obtains a waiver of such requirement pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) of this section. NOTE: Industrial gases under NAICS code 325120 do have an SBA class waiver. 3. Responses a. Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI in writing. b. Reponses are due no later than November 7, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. Responses shall be limited to 2 pages and submitted via e-mail only to [email protected]. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. c. Responses shall include: (1) Name and address of the company. (2) Name, title and telephone number of the primary point of contact. (3) DUNS Number, business size, and socioeconomic status. (4) A statement of whether the company does or does not exceed 500 employees. (5) A statement of whether the company is or is not primarily engaged in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sells hydrogen and helium. (6) An explanation of how the company complies with the requirement to take ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice. (7) Based on the locations shown in para 2(b), a list, by city and state, of each National Weather Service office to which the company has the capability to deliver hydrogen and helium gases. 4. Questions Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to [email protected]. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted.