B--Benthic Analysis

Amendment 000002 A. The reason for this amendment is to post questions asked by a prospective contractor and to provide the Government's responses. 1. Question 1: "Technical includes the contractor's experience with performing benthic analysis on samples from the ocean off of the Mid Atlantic coast? How much will this effect over all experience?" Government Response 1: Experience will be used as a factor to determine your company's technical acceptability. Award will be made to the lowest priced technically acceptable quote conforming to the solicitation. 2. Question 2: "Are there any certifications for ID needed to perform the work?" Government Response 2: While there are no formal certifications or IDs required by the Performance Work Statement, as part of the technical review to determine technical acceptability, the Government expects to see that the contractor proposes to perform the work with individual(s) who have an appropriate degree, previous training, and experience with identifying marine organisms in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. B. There are no changes to this solicitation. End Amendment 000002 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Amendment 000001 A. The reason for this amendment is to post a question asked by a prospective contractor and to provide the Government's response. 1. Question: ?Our company is interested in submitting a proposal for the above-referenced quote. I was wondering if you can provide a copy of the standard methods referenced in the solicitation. The protocols I found online have conflicting information.? Government Response: An electronic copy of this document is available from the Government. If you would like an electronic copy send an email request for this document to Ryan Parker at contact@example.gov and an electronic copy will be emailed to your. B. There are no changes to this solicitation. End Amendment 000001 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 12.6 and 13 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotations (RFQ) under solicitation number RFQ-PA-14-00009. Award will be made using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This procurement is 100 percent set aside for small business concerns. The associated North American Industrial Classification (NAICS) code is 541380 and the business size standard is $14.0 million. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT: Benthic Analysis Statement of Work Background: EPA Region III has a requirement under the Marine Protection to monitor the two designated ocean dump sites (Norfolk and Dam Neck) within Region 3 on a biennial basis. Sediment samples are collected and analyzed for the presence, distribution, and identification of benthic biota. Approximately 50 samples are collected each year at alternating sites. Description of Work: The Government will collect an estimated 50 samples (minimum 25, maximum 60) from approximately 3-20 nautical miles east of the Chesapeake Bay mouth during each period. The samples will be collected using a Young modified Van Veen Benthic grab 440 cm2 with salinities between 20 and 30 ppt. The samples will be field washed by the Government in a 0.583 sieve bucket and preserved in accordance with Part 10500, benthic macroinvertebrates In Standard Methods for the Determination of Water and Wastes. The Government will deliver the samples to the contractor's location in Government provided coolers and provide the chain of custody. Contractor shall accept samples Monday through Saturday. If there are questions, such as the number of samples provided, names of the samples, etc. the Contractor shall ask the Government for clarification and not make an independent determination. Contractor shall perform Standards Methods Part 10500 Biological Examination Benthic Macroinvertebrates each sample. This includes: 1. Species analyses. 2. Contractor shall perform the following statistical analyses based on the results of the species analyses: -Number of Taxa; -Number of Individuals; -Shannon Weiner species diversity; -Cluster Analysis; -Species Richness; -Evenness; -Percent Similarity; and -Simpson's Dominance Index. Analytical procedures will be followed in accordance with referenced method and the contractor's approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). The analytical data shall be submitted to the Government within 90 days of receipt of samples. Contractor shall dispose of the samples and containers after receiving authorization to do so from the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Contractor shall clean the empty sample coolers and coordinate their return to the Government with the COR. The Government is responsible for the cost of returning the sample coolers to the Government. Period of Performance: Base Period: Date of award - April 30, 2015 Option Period One: May 1, 2015 - April 30, 2016 Option Period Two: May 1, 2016 - April 30, 2017 Deliverables: 1. Contractor shall provide one hardcopy final report of the data to the COR within 90 days of receiving the last sample for each period. 2. Contractor shall provide electronic spreadsheet data in Microsoft Excel to the COR via email within 90 days of receiving the last sample for each period. 3. Documentation of QC and necessary corrective actions if requested by the COR are required within 30 days of request. *APHA. 1995d. Part 10500, Benthic macroinvertebrates. In Standard Methods for the Determination of Water and Wastes, 19th Edition. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation, Washington, D.C., pp. 10-58 - 10-71. SCHEDULE: CLIN 0001 - Base Period: $__________ (unit price) x 50 ea. (estimated) = $___________ CLIN 0002 - Option Period One: $__________ (unit price) x 50 ea. (estimated) = $___________ CLIN 0003 - Option Period Two: $__________ (unit price) x 50 ea. (estimated) = $___________ APPLICABLE CLAUSES AND PROVISIONS: The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-73, May 29, 2014. The following provisions and clauses are hereby incorporated by reference and shall apply to this solicitation and shall apply accordingly to the subsequent award. The provisions and clauses can be found at www.acquisition.gov/far. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items (Apr 2014) - NOTE - This is a total small business set-aside. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541380 and the business size standard is $14.0 million. FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Jan 1999) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible quoter whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes: Price and Technical. Technical includes the contractor's experience with performing benthic analysis on samples from the ocean off of the Mid Atlantic coast. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the lowest priced technically acceptable quote conforming to the solicitation. The Government intends to award on an all or none basis. Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (May 2013) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (May 2014) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -Commercial Items (May 2014) - Note that the following FAR clauses are cited within this clause: 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jul 2013) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Aug 2013) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (May 2012) (section 738 of Division C of Pub. L. 112-74, section 740 of Division C of Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Division D of Pub. L. 111-8, and section 745 of Division D of Pub. L. 110-161). 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2011) (15 U.S.C. 644). 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Jul 2013) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)). 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755). 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2014) (E.O. 13126). 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999). 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246). 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2010) (29 U.S.C. 793). 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (AUG 2011) (E.O. 13513). 52.225-3, Buy American Act-Free Trade Agreements-Israeli Trade Act (May 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 83, 19 U.S.C. 3301 note, 19 U.S.C. 2112 note, 19 U.S.C. 3805 note, 19 U.S.C. 4001 note, Pub. L. 103-182, 108-77, 108-78, 108-286, 108-302, 109-53, 109-169, 109-283, 110-138, 112-41, 112-42 and 112-43). (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2014) of 52.225-3. 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (E.O.s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury). 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration (Oct 2003) (31 U.S.C. 3332). 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services. (NOV 1999) The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days. (End of clause) FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract. (Mar 2000) (a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension. (b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause. (c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 3 years. (End of clause) EPAAR 1552.211-79, Compliance with EPA Policies for Information Resources Management. (OCT 2000) EPAAR 1552.233-70, Notice of filing requirements for agency protests. (JUL 1999) NOTES TO QUOTERS: The following information should be submitted with your quote: 1. Unit price quotes for each sample for the base and each option year. The unit prices will be evaluated as (unit price x an estimated quantity of 50) for evaluation purposes. 2. A description of the contractor's experience performing benthic analysis on samples from the ocean off of the Mid Atlantic coast. 3. Completed FAR provision 52.212-3. If vendor has completed representations in System for Award Management (SAM), confirmation of representations available through SAM is acceptable. All questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted in writing via email to: contact@example.gov Quotes are due by email to: Ryan Parker at contact@example.gov on or before 4:00 pm local time (Philadelphia, PA) on June 20, 2014. Failure to submit a complete quote by the time and date established may result in the quote not being considered.