THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) SUBPART 12.6 "SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS", 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. This solicitation number is SOL-NC-13-00004 and is being issued as a full and open competition Request for Proposal (RFP) using FAR Part 15 Negotiated Acquisition Procedures. This effort will support the US EPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL). The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 334511- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing, which has a Small Business Size Standard of 750 employees. The United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to award a contract for the Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED) within NHEERL. Background: EPA?s Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED), Duluth MN, of the Office of Research and Development has developed a strategic approach for monitoring the US nearshore of the Great Lakes using towed in situ sensors undulated through the water column and towed parallel to shore along a constant depth contou r for entire lake wide reaches of shoreline. The towed sensor sampling, presently conducted in late summer, provides high-resolution depiction of the nearshore. MED intends to compliment the towed sensor strategy through the use of Slocum-type glider technology. The application of this technology will provide high-resolution, regularly repeated grid/transect sampling in selected shallow waters of the Great Lakes. The glider will be used use to conduct sampling from very nearshore (<20 m depth) and will focus on waters up to 50 m, but occasionally will be used to sample to at least 200 m water depth. Sampling will focus on areas directly off river mouths, and will be used to detect and define zones of dilution and mixing of tributary outflow into the Great Lakes and potential biological responses to advection and mixing of waters into the lake. The EPA desires to use small, relatively portable glider/sensor sensor suites that can be deployed from 20-26 foot vessels, as well as a larger vessel like the EPA?s 90 foot R/V Lake Explorer. Although glider/sensor technology has not yet been used in this way in the Great Lakes, the EPA expects to deploy it to run repeated regular high?resolution (spatial and temporal) sampling tracks in nearshore plume/receiving areas and couple the nearshore information with watershed export data on flow of water and materials. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS/MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SLOCUM GLIDER AND ACCESSORIES: 1)Slocum style glider suitable for the Great Lakes with capability of working in freshwater systems of depths of <20m up to 200m or potentially greater. 2)Sensor payload array consisting of Low power conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) pumped sensor system to support Slocum Glider payload, with additional low power sensors to provide dissolved organic matter (CDOM; 370/460 excitation/emission wavelengths), chlorophyll-a (470/695 excitation/emission wavelengths), particulate matter from backscatter (700 n m), and oxygen (solid state optical detector). 3) Standard Battery pack (Alkaline or equivalent), capable of powering system for extended periods (days to weeks with above sensor suite). 4)Software control system should allow the operator to pre-program and alter the path/flight of the glider. 5)Communications package capable of providing shore based remote control and data download. 6) Handling/Recovery/retrieval system (e.g. cradles/handling attachments, night lights/strobes) should be capable of retrieval under low light/night conditions in addition enable the deployment/retrieval from vessels which have working decks several meters above waterline. 7) Operator/Slocum Pilot training for 1 individual. DUE DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF DELIVERABLES: 1) Slocum glider and all accessories are due within 6 months of award. The equipment shall be delivered to the EPA Duluth, MN. 2) Operator/Slocum pilot training are due within 12 months of award. The training will be held at the Contra ctor?s facility. The Government intends to award a firm fixed price contract for a twelve month (12) month period of performance. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212 1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation ? Commercial items are as follows: 1. Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed the specifications described in the SOW. 2. Adequacy of delivery schedule. 3. Past Performance -Submit a list of 3 customers for whom like or similar systems have been purchased within the past 2-3 years. Include specific points of contact, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Past performance will be evaluated on 1) quality of product or service; 2) timeliness of technical assistance or support; and 3) overall customer satisfaction. 4. Price -The Government intends to award a single contract to the responsible offeror whose technical proposal offers the 'Best Value' to the Government price and other factors considered. For this requirement, 'best value' will be determined based on technical adequacy, past performance and price. All offerors are to complete the On-line Representations and Certifications in the System for Award Management (SAM) located online at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. All prospective awardees shall b e registered in the SAM database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract or purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation. All offerors are to include with their offers a complete copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications ?Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212 4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items and Addendum. The following additional FAR clauses which are cited in clauses 52.212 5 are applicable to the acquisition; 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards, 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3 Convict Labor, 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities, 52.222 26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222 35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.222 36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222 37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veteran s and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons; 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232 33, Payment by Electronic Fund Transfer-Central Contractor Registration; In addition, clauses 52.209-5 Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters and 52-233-3 Protest After Award are applicable; All technical questions are to be forwarded to the Contracting Specialist at the following email address: contact@example.gov. Offerors should review the Statement of Work, Evaluation Criteria and other information posted with this Request for Quotation on EPA's website at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Arrow down to the CURRENT SOLICITATIONS section and click on the solicitation. ALL FURTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE LOCATED AT THE EPA WEBSITE. Please submit two copies each of the technical and price proposal (including pricing sheet) to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP Procure ment Operations Division, Attn: Jeffery Clodfelter (E105-02), 4930 Old Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. All offers are due by Nov. 5, 12:00 p.m. (noon), ET. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored. E-mail proposals are acceptable and should be e-mailed to: contact@example.gov
