NIST 6-Port SPHERE

Solicitation Amendment 003: The purpose of this solicitation amendment is to extend the solicitation and post Answers to the Questions received prior to the inquiries’ deadline. Due to the additional time the Government used to review and respond to Contractor questions, the solicitation response deadline is hereby extended until April 23, 2021 at 4:00 PM ET. The following question and answer is applicable: Question 1: The performance specification of “a minimum UV irradiance at the sphere wall: 5000W/m2, 300nm – 400nm spectral range” may be difficult. The Statement of Need references an existing 0.5m 6-port Sphere. Could you please provide the spectral irradiance value of that sphere and any aging factors if applicable? Answer 1: The specification for "a minimum UV irradiance at the sphere wall: 5000 W/m2, 300nm - 400 nm spectral range" is firm. NIST's existing sphere, after intermittent use for several years, has measured approximately 5800 W/m2, 300nm - 400nm (UV region). NIST has seen no appreciable aging in the existing sphere. NIST anticipates that the currently required firm specifications will be easier to meet on a new sphere than they were for our existing sphere. All other terms and provisions remain unchanged. --- The purpose of amendment #2 is to extend the date for accepting quotations to April 16, 2021 at 4pm ET. All other terms and provisions are unchanged. --- The purpose of this amendment is to extend the date for accepting questions to April 8, 2021 at 4pm ET. All other terms and provisions are unchanged. ---- (i) 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; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is SB1341-21-TC-RQ-00890 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ), restricted on a Total Small Business Set-Aside basis. This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures, FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items and FAR 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. A Fixed-Price type of Purchase Order contract is contemplated for any resulting contract entered into as a result of this solicitation. (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number/Effective Date: 2021-05 / 3-10-2021. (iv) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with the small business size standard of 1000 Employees. This requirement is restricted on a Total Small Business set-aside basis. (v) Product Description. See attached Statement of Need (vi) The Contractor shall provide a Firm Fixed Price Quotation for the following CLINS: Contract Line Item 0001: The Contractor shall provide a quantity of One (1) 0.5m 6-Port Sphere meeting or exceeding the salient characteristics described in this solicitation as the minimum specifications. Shipping and Delivery cost must be included in the quotation either as a separate line item or contained in the total price of CLIN 0001. (vii) Payment Schedule. The Contractor shall be paid, in accordance with Net 30-day payment terms, upon receipt and acceptance of a proper invoice, in accordance with the following schedule: 100% after receipt, inspection, testing and acceptance by the TPOC of the fully delivered system. NOTE: Partial shipments and partial invoices will not be accepted, unless otherwise requested and accepted by the Contracting Officer prior to award offer. Proposed payment schedules may be submitted with vendor’s response to the RFQ for consideration. (viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. 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 these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/?q=browsefar http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title48/48cfrv5_02.tpl (End of provision) The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: • FAR 52.203-18, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements-Representation • FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management • FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting • FAR 52.204-17, Ownership or Control of Offeror • FAR 52.204-20, Predecessor of Offeror • FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment • FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation • FAR 52.209-2, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations-Representation • FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items • FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items • FAR 52.225-25, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Sanctioned Activities Relating to Iran The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference, applies to this acquisition. 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 these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title48/48cfrv5_02.tpl (End of clause) Instructions to Offerors. Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the offeror’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the technical evaluation criteria. Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, any warranty or training considerations, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations. (ix) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following is an addendum to 52.212-2. Responses received to this RFQ will be evaluated on a Trade-Off Basis. The award will be made on a competitive best value basis, using “tradeoff” among price-cost and non-price-cost factors. The Government may elect to award to other than the lowest priced offeror, or other than the offeror with the highest rated non-price-cost proposal. In either case, a tradeoff will be conducted. The government reserves such right of flexibility in conducting the evaluation as necessary to assure an award with the contractor providing the best value to the government. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award, cost or price is also important to the overall award decision. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are more important than cost or price. However, cost or price may become a critical factor in source selection in the event two or more offers are determined to be essentially equal following the evaluation of all factors other than cost or price. Each quotation will be evaluated in strict conformity with the evaluation factors, utilizing written critiques. The evaluation will be based upon the demonstrated capabilities of the prospective contractor in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in the RFQ and will use an adjectival evaluation rating scheme based on the following responses: Excellent (Risk level: Very low); Good (Risk level: Low); Acceptable (Risk Level: Neutral); Marginal (Risk level: High); Unacceptable (Risk level: Very high). The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers, listed in order of descending order of importance: (1) Technical Capability: Offerors shall clearly indicate possessing the capability to achieve the essential salient characteristic features of this requirement and an ability to deliver the requirement. Offers shall be evaluated for the degree to which they meet the minimum technical and schedule requirements. Offers which do not meet all requirements will be evaluated less favorably than those which do meet all requirements. Offers which exceed requirements may be evaluated more favorably. (2) Corporate Experience: Offerors shall submit with their quotation a list of two (2) contracts completed during the past three (3) years and / or contracts awarded currently in process that are similar in nature to the work scope to demonstrate Corporate Experience. An evaluation of Corporate Experience will be based on evaluation of demonstrated ability to accomplish contract requirements and extent of relevant experience in the areas covered by the Purchase Description requirements. The Government shall evaluate quotations based on prior contracts or purchase orders that are similar in size, scope, and complexity to the requirements contained in this solicitation. Contracts listed may include those entered into by the Federal Government, agencies of state and local governments and commercial concerns. Newly formed entities without prior contracts may submit manuscripts or articles from technical journals or other forms of industry engagement or product literature as an alternative. For each contract, subcontract, or reference include: (i) Name of Contracting Organization; (ii) Contract Number (for subcontracts, provide the prime contract number and the subcontract number); (iii) Contract Type; (iv) Total Contract Value; (v) Description of Requirement; (vi) Contracting Officer's Name and Telephone Number; (vii) Program Manager's Name and Telephone Number; and (viii) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code. The offeror may provide information on problems encountered on the identified contracts and the corrective actions, if any. The Government is not required to contact references provided by the offeror. Corporate Experience information other than that information identified by the offeror may be considered by the Government when evaluating corporate experience. Price. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by making a price reasonableness determination. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the government that a prudent person would pay when consideration is given to prices in the market. (x) The Offerors to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer. This requirement may be fulfilled by current completion of this provision in www.SAM.gov. (xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. (xii) The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference. The following provisions of FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Items are applicable to this solicitation: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First Tier Subcontract Awards 52.209-6, Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting 52.219-28, Post-Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation 52.219-33, Nonmanufacturer Rule 52.222-3, Convict Labor 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving 52.225-1, Buy American-Supplies 52.225-13, Restrictions on certain foreign purchases 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award Management The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated as an attachment, and MUST be completed and submitted with any response to this RFQ: • FAR 52.204-20 Predecessor of Offeror • FAR 52.209-5 Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters • FAR 52.209-11, Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law • FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment • FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation • FAR 52.225-2 Buy American Certificate (List as necessary) The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: • FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance • FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance • FAR 52-204-19, Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications • FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items • FAR 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations • FAR 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors [DOC Deviation April 2020] (xiii) The provision at CAR 1352.233-70 AGENCY PROTESTS (APR 2010) applies to this acquisition and incorporated in full text: An agency protest may be filed with either (1) the Contracting Officer, or (2) at a level above the Contracting Officer, with the agency Protest Decision Authority. See 64 Fed. Reg. 16,651 (April 6, 1999). Agency protests filed with the Contracting Officer shall be sent to the following address: NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION ATTN: LAUREN ROLLER, CONTRACTING OFFICER 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Agency protests filed with the Protest Decision Authority shall be sent to the following address: NIST/ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT DIVISION ATTN: HEAD OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICE (HCO) 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1640 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 A complete copy of all agency protest, including all attachments, shall be served upon the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel within one day of filing a protest with either the Contracting Officer or the Protest Decision Authority. Service upon the Contract law Division shall be made as follows: U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 FAX: (202) 482-5858 (End of Provision) (xiv) The provision at CAR 1352.233-71 GAO AND COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS PROTESTS (APR 2010) is applicable to this solicitation and incorporated in full text. (a) A protest may be filed with either the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or the Court of Federal Claims unless an agency protest has been filed. (b) A complete copy of all GAO or Court of Federal Claims protests, including all attachments, shall be served upon (i) the Contracting Officer, and (ii) the Contract Law Division of the Office of the General Counsel, within one day of filing a protest with either GAO or the Court of Federal Claims. (c) Service upon the Contract Law Division shall be made as follows: U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel Chief, Contract Law Division Room 5893 Herbert C. Hoover Building 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230. FAX: (202) 482-5858 (End of Provision) (xv) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are hereby incorporated by reference. All CAR clauses may be viewed at http://www.ecfr.gov 1352.201-70 – Contracting Officers Authority 1352.209-73 – Compliance with the Laws (APR 2010) 1352.209-74 – Organizational Conflict of Interest 1352.246-70 – Place of Acceptance (a) The Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative will accept supplies and services to be provided under this contract. (b) The place of acceptance will be: 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD. 20899 NIST LOCAL 54 – BILLING INSTRUCTIONS NIST requires that Invoice/Voucher submissions are sent electronically via email to [email protected]. Each Invoice or Voucher submitted shall include the following: (1) Contract number; (2) Contractor name and address; (3) Unique entity identifier (see www.sam.gov for the designated entity for establishing unique entity identifiers); (4) Date of invoice; (5) Invoice number; (6) Amount of invoice and cumulative amount invoiced to-date; (7) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN); (8) Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of supplies/services delivered; (9) Prompt payment discount terms, if offered; and (10) Any other information or documentation required by the contract. (End of Clause) NIST LOCAL 53 – CONTRACT PERFORMANCE DURING CHANGES IN NIST OPERATING STATUS Unless otherwise stated in the contract terms and conditions, normal days of business operation are Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. However, throughout the contract period of performance, there may be circumstances beyond the control of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), that will impact normal days of business operation, such as inclement weather, power outages, etc. In circumstances such as these, the Contractor must call the appropriate NIST campus status line to verify the operating status: Gaithersburg Campus Operating Status Line: (301) 975-8000 (800) 437-4385 x8000 (toll free) Boulder Campus Operating Status Line: (303) 497-4000 During a lapse in appropriation, access to Government facilities and resources, including equipment and systems, will be limited to excepted personnel for both Federal employees and Contractor personnel. If performance of the contract is onsite and/or requires Government interaction, unless you have been, or are notified that you are to work under an excepted status, you will automatically enter a temporary work stoppage. The work stoppage shall remain in effect until the lapse is resolved and notification is provided via the NIST website at https://www.nist.gov/ and/or the NIST operating status lines. Additionally, Contractors are encouraged to monitor public broadcasts or the Office of Personnel Management’s website at www.opm.gov for the Federal Government operating status. NIST will provide notification to all contractors that are determined to have excepted status. All excepted contractors are required to continue performance and communicate with the appointed Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for further guidance, or NIST Contracting Officer if a COR is not appointed. Contractors with supply or service contracts that are fully funded at the time of contract award and do not require access to Government facilities, resources, or active administration by Government personnel in a manner that would cause the government to incur additional obligations during the lapse in appropriation may continue performance. (End of Clause) (xvi) The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions as determined by the contracting officer are necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices. There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xvii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. (xviii) The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. (xix) Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to [email protected]. Questions should be received no later than five (5) calendar days after the issuance date of this solicitation. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. All quotations must be received no later than the date specified in this announcement. Late responses will not be accepted. All responses must reference the subject solicitation number. Responses must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. For information regarding this solicitation, contact Hunter Tjugum by email at [email protected]. (xx) All responses must be received no later than the date specified in this announcement. Late responses will not be accepted. All responses must reference the subject solicitation number. Responses must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. For information regarding this solicitation, contact Hunter Tjugum, Contract Specialist, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 301-975-2015.