6640--NanoString GeoMx DSP Instrument & nCounter Sprint Profiler

This is a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only Solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number 36C25721Q1469 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular. SET-ASIDE: This requirement is a 100% Total Small Business set aside. In order to be eligible for award an offeror must be small for the applicable NAICS code at the time of the quote submission and at the time of award. Only qualified offerors may submit bids. NAICS Code: 334516 and Size Standard is 1000 Employees. Introduction: The Government intends to award a firm fixed price contract based on this solicitation. Description of Supplies: The Contractor is required to provide NanoString GeoMx DSP Instrument & nCounter Sprint Profiler. Place(s) of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs VA North Texas Health Care System Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, Texas 75216-9982 Delivery Date: 30 days after receipt of award. Type of Contract: A Firm Fixed Price EVALUATIONS: Evaluation of quotes will be conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 Evaluation of Quotes. Please read each section below carefully for the submittals and information required as part of the evaluation. Failure to provide the requested information below shall be considered non-compliant and your quote could be removed from the evaluation process. Offeror quotes shall be evaluated under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3) Comparative Evaluation. Comparative evaluation is the side by side pairwise comparison of quotes based on factors resulting in a Contracting Officer decision for the quote most favorable to the Government. The Government reserves the right to consider a quotation other than the lowest price that provides additional benefit(s). Quotations may exceed minimum requirements of the solicitation. The Government reserves the right to select a quotation that provides benefit to the Government that exceeds the minimum requirements of the solicitation but is not required to do so. Each response must meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation. The Government is not obligated to determine a competitive range, conduct discussions with all contractors, solicit final revised quotes, and use other techniques associated with FAR Part 15. The contracting techniques associated with FAR Part 15 are not mandatory. The Government will issue a contract to the responsible offeror whose quotation conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The Government shall award a contract resulting from this solicitation. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Vendor is a certified small business. Vendor must be registered is SAM with applicable NAICS code by the close of solicitation. Vendor must provide past performance for similar service (CPARS). Technical Approach: The Government will evaluate how the offeror s approach meets the requirements in accordance with the solicitation and Statement of Work and indicates a thorough approach and understanding of the requirements. Must be an authorized distributor and provide authorization letter. Price: Price will be evaluated independently of the non-price factors. QUOTE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Quotes must be received no later than Friday, September 24, 2021 at 4:30pm CST. Email your quote to Rastreva.Upshaw@va.gov and Danised.Burt@va.gov. The subject line must specify 36C25721Q1469 NanoString GeoMx DSP Instrument & nCounter Sprint Profiler. There will be no automated email notification of receipt of quotes. All quotes received without requested documentation will not be considered. Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f). QUOTE/OFFER SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS: PRICE/COST SCHEDULE Line Item Number Part Number Description Qty Unit Price 1 100400 Brand Name or Equal GeoMx DSP Instrument & nCounter Sprint Profiler GMX-DSP-1Y 1 EA $______ 999044 Brand Name or Equal GeoMx DSP Instrument Kit 1 EA $______ 999045 Brand Name or Equal GeoMx DSP Install Kit PCLN 1 EA $______ 999020 Brand Name or Equal Sprint Training Kit SPRINT-TRAIN 1 EA $______ 999035 Brand Name or Equal Sprint Install Kit 1 EA $______ 2 SH0001 Brand Name or Equal S&H Sprint Shipping and handling costs 1 EA $______ 3 SH0008 Brand Name or Equal S&H DSP Shipping and handling costs 1 EA $______ SUBMISSION OF QUOTE (FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS COMMERCIAL ITEMS): The Offeror shall submit their quote on company letterhead and shall include unit price, overall total price, name, address, and telephone number of the offeror, firm's DUNS# and ORCA document in SAM at www.sam.gov. Complete copy of 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items, and ORCA document. The Offeror shall provide sufficient evidence that they possess adequate resources, capability, experience, responsibility and integrity to meet the technical capabilities to comply with the requirements of the resulting contract. The Offeror shall be registered in SAM.gov prior to contract award. To facilitate the award process, all quotes must include a statement regarding the terms and conditions herein as follows: "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition." OR "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:" The offeror shall meet the limitation in subcontracting clause. The subcontract vendor must be similarly situated in the same. The offeror shall outline how they will be in agreeance/compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR §125.6. Any quotes using subcontractors or teaming partners to perform any part of the work must show the subcontractor or teaming partner to be similarly situated as the prime. A similarly situated subcontractors or teaming partners is a company who has the same size standard and NAICS code as the prime offeror/vendor. Similarly situated entity is a subcontractor that has the same small business program status as the prime contractor. This means that: For a HUBZone requirement, a subcontractor that is a qualified HUBZone small business concern; for a small business set-aside, partial set-aside, or reserve a subcontractor that is a small business concern; for a SDVO small business requirement, a subcontractor that is a self-certified SDVO SBC; for an 8(a) requirement, a subcontractor that is an 8(a) certified Program Participant; for a WOSB or EDWOSB contract, a subcontractor that has complied with the requirements of part 127. In addition to sharing the same small business program status as the prime contractor, a similarly situated entity must also be small for the NAICS code that the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract the subcontractor will perform. The following clauses and provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.209-5, Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirements to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Right 52.203-99 Prohibition of Contracting with Entities That Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements 52.211-6 Brand Name or Equal 52.217-6 Option for Increased Quantity 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (OCT 2014) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3). 52.222-3, Convict Labor 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards (MAY 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67) 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (MAY 2014) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67) 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts) (MAY 2014) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67) 52.222-55, Minimum Wages Under Executive Order 13658 (DEC 2015) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving 52.228-5 Insurance-Work on a Government Installation (JAN 1997) 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management 52.237-3 Continuity of Services (JAN 1991) 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations (In the FAR https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_232.html#wp1160005) 52.233-3, Protest after Award (In the FAR https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_233_240.html) 852.203-70, Commercial Advertising (JAN 2008) 852.232-72, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests 852.237-70, Contractor Responsibilities 852.273-70, Late Offers (Jan 2003) 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference: 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 this/these address(es). 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference: 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 this/these address (es). Full text can be obtained at http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html 52.219-6 NOTICE OF TOTAL SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (MAR 2020) ALTERNATE I (MAR 2020) (a) Definition. "Small business concern," as used in this clause, means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) Applicability. This clause applies only to (1) Contracts that have been totally set aside for small business concerns; and (2) Orders set aside for small business concerns under multiple-award contracts as described in 8.405-5 and 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F). (c) General. (1) Offers are solicited only from small business concerns and Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Offers received from concerns that are not small business concerns or FPI shall be considered nonresponsive and will be rejected. (2) Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made to either a small business concern or FPI. (End of Clause) VAAR 852.219-74 LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE (JUL 2018) (a) This solicitation includes FAR 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside and FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (MAR 2020). (b) Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR 125.6, or the limitations on subcontracting requirements in the FAR clause, as applicable. The Contractor is advised that in performing contract administration functions, the Contracting Officer may use the services of a support contractor(s) retained by VA to assist in assessing the Contractor's compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirements specified in the clause. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to Contractor's offices where the Contractor's business records, or other proprietary data are retained and to review such business records regarding the Contractor's compliance with this requirement. (c) All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement to ensure the Contractor's business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the Contracting Officer in assessing the Contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs. (d) Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the Contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, Obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The Contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the Contracting Officer to assess the Contractor's compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirement. (End of Clause) 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from: Hand-Carried Address: Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO 17) NCO 17 RPO West 124 E. Hwy 67 Duncanville, Texas 75137 Mailing Address: Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO 17) NCO 17 RPO West 124 E. Hwy 67 Duncanville, Texas 75137 (b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO. (End of Provision) VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (OCT 2018) (a) Any protest filed by an interested party shall (1) Include the name, address, fax number, email and telephone number of the protester; (2) Identify the solicitation and/or contract number; (3) Include an original signed by the protester or the protester s representative and at least one copy; (4) Set forth a detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of the protest, including a description of resulting prejudice to the protester, and provide copies of relevant documents; (5) Specifically request a ruling of the individual upon whom the protest is served; (6) State the form of relief requested; and (7) Provide all information establishing the timeliness of the protest. (b) Failure to comply with the above may result in dismissal of the protest without further consideration. (c) Bidders/offerors and Contracting Officers are encouraged to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures to resolve protests at any stage in the protest process. If ADR is used, the Department of Veterans Affairs will not furnish any documentation in an ADR proceeding beyond what is allowed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation. (End of Provision) VAAR 852.233-71 ALTERNATE PROTEST PROCEDURE (OCT 2018) (a) As an alternative to filing a protest with the Contracting Officer, an interested party may file a protest by mail or electronically with: Executive Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management and Compliance Service (003A2C), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420 or Email: EDProtests@va.gov. (b) The protest will not be considered if the interested party has a protest on the same or similar issue(s) pending with the Contracting Officer. (End of Provision) PLEASE NOTE: The correct mailing information for filing alternate protests is as follows: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management Team, Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20420 Or for solicitations issued by the Office of Construction and Facilities Management: Director, Office of Construction and Facilities Management 811 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20420 REQUIRED REGISTRATION WITH CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE SYSTEM (CPARS): As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 42.15, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates contractor past performance on all contracts that exceed $100,000 and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement VA uses an online database, the Contractor Performance System (CPARS), which is maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CPS database information is shared with the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) database, which is available to all Federal agencies. Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $100,000.00 is required to register with the NIH CPS database at the following web address: http://www.cpars.gov/ Training and help in registering can be obtained by contacting the point of contact information listed at this website and the hyper-link for training or by phone at 207-438-1690. For contracts with a period of one year or less, the contracting officer will perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the contracting officer will evaluate the contractor s performance annually. Interim reports will be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report will be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPS to the contractor s designated representative for comment. The contractor representative will have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer. The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of 2009 (Public Law 110-417) was enacted on October 14, 2008. Section 872 of this Act required the development and maintenance of an information system that contains specific information on the integrity and performance of covered Federal agency contractors and grantees. The Federal Awardees Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) were developed to address these requirements. FAPIIS is a distinct application that is accessed through the Past Performance Information System (PPIRS) and is available to federal acquisition professionals for their use in award and responsibility determinations. FAPIIS provides users access to integrity and performance information from the FAPIIS reporting module in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), proceedings information from the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database, and suspension/disbarment information from the Excluded Parties List system (EPLS).