A -- RBC and Serum Folate Samples

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information in the notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The procurement is being issued as a request for quotation. Submit offers on Solicitation Number: 2007-Q-09279. The solicitation is being issued as a request for quotation. The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Action Circular 2005-14, dated November 22, 2006. This acquisition will be processed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), Acquisitions of Commercial Items and is not a Small Business Set-Aside. The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541380, and the small business size is eleven million dollars. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a requirement for a MD or PHD primary investigator to provide all labor, materials and equipment required to complete tasks outlined below. 1. The laboratory must specialize in the microbiological assay of folate, and has built up an international reputation in this respect, with a sample throughput that is compatible with carrying out large population based studies such as NHANES. 2. The laboratory must have at least 20 years of experience with the assay as evidenced by peer reviewed publications in the scientific literature using the microbiological assay for folate. 3. The laboratory must have published in the peer reviewed literature the conditions of the assay. 4. The laboratory should have been established at least thirty years and recognized internationally as a center of high repute in the area of folate. 5. The laboratory should be a pioneer in the development and application of new techniques in the analysis of folates and folate related metabolites including HPLC methods, amino acid analysis, radioisotope methods, microbiological assays and cell culture technology. 6. RBC folate must be measured using a modification of the traditional microbiological method using Lactobacillus casei with several important technological advances that have made it more robust and allowed it to be automated, thus ensuring a reliable, easily maintained and high throughput assay system. 7. Serum folate must be measured using a modification of the traditional microbiological method using Lactobacillus casei with several important technological advances that have made it more robust and allowed it to be automated, thus ensuring a reliable, easily maintained and high throughput assay system. 8. The microbiological assays should include the use of a specific chloramphenicol resistant strain of L. casei, which has recently been renamed and catalogued Lactobacillus rhamnosus [ATCC 27773; NCIB 10463], and the use of glycerol protected cryopreserved aliquots of inoculums. These adaptations will ensure ongoing standardized growth curves that are reproducible for hundreds of assays. 9. The assay must be validated within a range of standard folic acid amounts from 0.025 to 0.5 ng/mL (0.06 to 1.13 nM) using a 4-parameter logistic curve fitting program. 10. The assay must be highly sensitive and requires samples to be diluted from between 1/40 and 1/640 11. The laboratory must utilize robotic liquid handling equipment, thus affording large sample throughput with lower risk of contamination or sample mix-up and better monitoring of quality control. 12. Folic acid should be routinely used as the calibration standard and growth must demonstrate to be equivalent to growth using the natural folate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate 13. The volume of samples, required to be processed with results available to NCHS within 3 weeks of receipt of specimens, require a high throughput. 14. Test results and quality control results must be supplied in machine-readable format no later than three weeks (3) after receipt of serum/whole specimens. 15. The Laboratory must have a well-established quality assurance program. 16. Data should be transmitted to NHANES in electronic data files in a format stipulated by NHANES. 17. Submit results and QC files electronically to the NHANES survey contractor on a flow basis. The delivery date is on a flow basis three (3) weeks after the specimens are received. 18. Labs should maintain historical records/archives of transmissions and results to support resolution of questions or issues regarding particular samples throughout the course of the study. 19. For quality control assessment the laboratory should provide quality control rules for RBC folate and serum folate. 20. Provide list of possible comment codes associated with the laboratory results that might be required. 21. Maintain an adequate storage facility (-70 degrees C for sera) for specimens upon receipt and for any excess sera specimen remaining in vials after analyzing the samples. 22. Accept delivery of specimens on a predetermined schedule supplied by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/Westat. CLIN 0001, RBC folate samples, 1562 E; CLIN 0002, Serum folate sample, 1562 EA; Shipping Air Freight Atlanta, Georgia. Please include any applicable warranties and expiration date. The quotation shall include the itemized price, prompt payment terms, F.O.B. (Destination or Origin), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), and descriptive literature of the products quoted. Quotations must reference the Solicitation Number 2007-Q-09279. The Delivery Location is CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, Building 17, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Quotation will be due no later than close of business January 24, 2006. Written quotations must be submitted via e-mail to contact@example.gov , Telephone number +1 (555) 000-0000. Quotations must be signed by an authorized company representative. The following FAR provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items; FAR 52.214-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Offerors Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items; FAR 52.246-2 Inspection of Supplies-Fixed Price. By submission of an offer, the offeror acknowledges the requirements that the prospective awardees shall have posted their FAR 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications Commercial Items at the website: http://orca/bpn.gov. The award will be made to the technically acceptable lowest price offeror. All vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) prior to award of a Federal Contract. Vendors may be register at www.ccr.gov . Copies of the above reference clauses are available at www.acqnet.gov. All responsible sources that can meet the above requirements may submit a quote, which will be considered by the agency.