88 -- PROVIDE HEALTHY QUAHOG SEED BY CUSTOM SPAWNING

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared and processed in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this announcement. This is a Solicitation for the United States Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Narragansett, RI to provide live and healthy quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) seed by custom spawning Rhode Island - white (native, non-notata) adult quahogs. The quahogs are to be grown to a mean size of 15+ mm at time of delivery. Delivery will be on or before October 15, 2006. If the requisite size has not been attained by October 15, 2006 then delivery shall be postponed to the period of June 1, 2007 to October 15, 2007. This constitutes the only Request For Quote (RFQ), written quotes are being requested; and a written solicitation will not be issued. This notice is hereby issued as RFQ No. NFFK00006A0018CMM. This RFQ and the incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-08. The line item(s) will be delivered or picked up in accordance with the specifications listed below. The price shall include cost of delivery, if required, in accordance with FAR 52.247-34, F.O.B. Destination (Nov 1991). Date of delivery is stated in the specifications listed below. The FAR clauses incorporated into this acquisition shall be: 52.211-8 Time of Delivery (Jun. 1997), 52.211-16 Variation in Quantity (Apr. 1984) {A variation in the quantity of any item called for by this contract will not be accepted unless the variation has been caused by conditions of loading, shipping, or packing. The permissible variation shall be limited to a 5% increase / 5% decrease.}, 52.211-17 Delivery of Excess Quantities (Sep.1989), 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (Sep. 2005), 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (Feb. 2006) (Sections 5, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, and 31). The FAR provisions incorporated into this acquisition shall be 52.212-1, Instruction to Offerors - Commercial Items (Jan. 2006) {Note: Bid samples shall not be submitted with the bid but will be required to be submitted at the request of the Contracting Officer.}, 52.212-2 Evaluation Commercial Items (Jan. 1999) {the following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: (1) Technical capability. Provide sufficient information, and documentation that demonstrates the ability to meet or exceed the Government's minimum requirement as specified herein. (2) Delivery schedule. Ability to meet or exceed the Government's delivery schedule. (3) Past Performance. Provide list of contacts including phone numbers, of firms to whom the offeror has successfully provided services and supplies that are the same or equal to that described herein. (4) Price. All factors other than price are equally important to one another. The proposed price will be evaluated but not scored. The price evaluation will determine whether the proposed price is realistic, complete and reasonable in relation to the solicitation requirements. Although price is the least important evaluation factor, it will not be ignored. The degree of importance of the proposed price will increase with the degree of equality of the proposals in relation to the other factors on which selection is to be based. The Government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest priced quote or to the firm with the highest technical score if the Contracting Officer determines that to do so would result in the best value to the Government.}, 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - commercial Items (Mar. 2005). The Government has the right to award more than one purchase order from this RFQ if it is determined to be advantageous and in the Government's best interest. FAR clauses and provisions are available on the Internet Website http://www.arnet.gov/far. The following Commerce Acquisition Regulations (CAR) clauses and provisions are also incorporated into this acquisition by reference: 1352.201-70 Contracting Officer's Authority (Feb. 2005). Point of contact for NMFS will be designated at the time of award. Full text of these CAR clauses is available on the internet at http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/docs/DOC_Local_Clauses_PM2000-03A2.pdf. Signed and dated offers must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA/CASC, Attn: AMD/Carey Marlow, Room 1756, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Offers must be received on or before 2:00 pm CDT, Monday, March 20, 2006. Offers may be faxed to 816-274-6993 Attn: Carey Marlow. In addition to price, offers must include the following for evaluation: 1) a completed copy of the provisions contained in FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items; 2) certification of registration in the Central Contractor Registration database; 3) a proposed delivery schedule; and 4) Performance references for requirements that are comparable to those stated within. 5) Brief, succinct cover letter expressing interest in responding to this announcement and, a brief company overview, resume outlining hatchery / business experience. The resume shall not to exceed four (4) pages. The cover letter shall include the firms contact information including address, phone and fax numbers, and email address. 6) A page indicating the hatchery deliverables for this project including the amount of seed / larvae, size of seed/larvae, Shellfish Pathology Report stating - Disease Free seed / larvae prior to shipment into the state of Rhode Island. 7) Brief narrative detailing location where seed will be grown, and how seed will be held in nursery setting type prior to shipment. For larvae, the narrative should detail location where larvae will be grown, how larvae will be held, and verification that animals were fed a cultured algal diet up to the time of shipment. Prices shall include both unit price per 1000 seed and total price. The Government reserves the right to issue an order for part or all of the required quantity to any offeror. This is not an - all or none requirement. The Government may award to multiple offerors if it is determined to be advantageous and in the Government's best interest. The Government may request to inspect the seed at any time during the grow-out period, and may request samples from the offerors prior to award. The Government will then determine that samples meet the minimum size requirements described herein. This is a firm fixed price RFQ. There was a previous requirement for quahog seed that was cancelled because the potential for disease transfer and prevention had not been adequately addressed. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Line Item # 1 - The contractor shall provide part or all of a total of 1 million live, healthy quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) seed up to a total number to be agreed, but not exceeding 1 million. Quahogs are to be grown from small seed produced by custom spawning Rhode Island "white" (native, non-notata) adult quahogs. The Government will provide the contracted hatchery with requisite, disease-free brook stock. Small seed imported to Rhode Island for grow-out will need disease free certification prior to import, seed of < 5 mm produced within the state of Rhode Island is not required to be tested for disease prior to movement to a grow-out site within the state. The quahog seed shall have a mean shell size of 12+ mm (maximum shell length) at the time of delivery. The quahog seed shall be delivered to the RIDEM's Coastal Fisheries Lab, 1231 Succotash Road, Jerusalem, Rhode Island on or before October 15, 2006. Backup time for delivery shall be between June 1, 2007 and October 15, 2007. The quahog seed shall be certified as disease free prior to delivery. Failure to provide disease free certification will be grounds for termination. These items will be utilized by the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for restoration purposes. NOTE: THE ABOVE ARE MIMUMUM REQUIREMENTS. BID FORMAT: Provide itemized pricing as follows: Line Item #1 - Quahog Seed Production MAXIMUM NO. OF QUAHOG SEED UNIT PRICE PER 1000 TOTAL _____________________ 12 MM = $ / 1000 $_________________ _____________________ > 12 MM = $ / 1000 $_________________ FOB Destination GRAND TOTAL: $____________________________ The above price includes disease testing and delivery. The government has the right to maintain flexibility in the number of quahog seeds ordered provided that it is within limitations of the quoted quantity and is in 1000 increments. DELIVERY SCHEDULE: Required Delivery: Proposed Delivery By for line item # 1 Line Item # 1 - Required NLT October 15, 2006 ______________________________ If delivery cannot be made before October 15, 2006 the offeror may propose a date between June 1, 2006 through October 15, 2007 to deliver 12+ mm quahog for the number specified. ______________________________ DOC, CASC requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). No award can be made to a company not registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR, please access the following web site: http://www.ccr.gov. In order to register, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800) 333-0505.