Description
Dear Industry Partner, This notice is issued by the Bureau Procurement Official (BPO) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a bureau of the Department of Commerce (DOC), to address inquiries received. Since December 22, 2018, there has been a lapse in appropriations to fund the DOC/NIST. Given the lapse in funding, there are significant limitations as to the number of employees and the type of work that may continue to be performed. This notice applies to all requests for information, sources sought notices, requests for proposals/quotations, pre-solicitation notices, as well as any other public notice issued by NIST, at the Federal Business Opportunities website, www.fbo.gov, with a closing date of December 22, 2018, or later, for which an amendment has not been issued by a Contracting Officer to re-establish the date and time for submission of responses based on the lapse in funding. To ensure that all parties receive equivalent time for responding to these solicitations, the NIST BPO has established the response timeframes set forth below. These response timelines apply to the NIST only: Requests for Information (RFIs): For the purposes of this announcement, RFIs include requests for review and comment on draft RFPs, RFQs, or other documents. Interested parties shall submit their response to all RFIs within three (3) business days following resolution of the DOC/NIST funding lapse and resumption of business operations. Responses shall be submitted in the form and format and to the locations and addresses identified in the RFI. Requests for proposals (RFPs) and requests for quotations (RFQs): If the particular RFP or RFQ provided for the submission of questions, comments or other forms of inquiry after December 21, 2018, the submission shall be due five (5) business days following NIST's resumption of business operations. Responses (i.e., questions comments or other inquiries) shall be submitted in the form and format and to the location and address identified in the RFP or RFQ. Submission in response to RFPs, RFQs, and notice of intent to sole source: If the particular RFP, RFQ, or notice of intent established a deadline for submission after December 21, 2018, the submission shall be due seven (7) business days following NIST's resumption of business operations. The time of submission shall remain as specified in the notice. Proposals or quotations shall be submitted in the form and format requested and to the location and address specified in the RFP or RFQ. Similarly, any submission in response to a notice of intent must conform the notice. DOC intends that Contracting Officers will prepare and issue formal amendments to solicitations upon the conclusion of the funding lapse. However, in the absence of specific written guidance issued by a Contracting Officer for a particular RFI, RFP, RFQ, or other notice, the deadlines set forth above shall apply. Revisions to previously submitted documents must be submitted in accordance with the schedule set forth above. Any revised submission must be appropriately notated to indicate it is in accordance with the schedule set forth in this FBO notice. On behalf of DOC/NIST, I would like to thank you for your patience, understanding and interest in the programs and projects of the NIST. Sincerely, Jo-Lynn Davis Acting Bureau Procurement Official