B -- NIST Scientific Abstracting and Bibliographic Services for Gas Phase Chemical Kinetics/Thermodynamics

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Parts 12 and 13, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation Number NB838060-7-0560rs is issued as a request for quotation. This solicitation is set aside exclusively for small business concerns. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 519190. The NIST Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory has a requirement for scientific abstracting, bibliographic entry and quality control of data in support of current database activities related to the Gas Phase Chemical Kinetics and Thermodynamics of industrially and environmentally important chemical species. Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contactor shall provide services in accordance with the Performance Work Statement entitled, Scientific Abstracting and Bibliographic Services for Gas Phase Chemical Kinetics /Thermodynamics, dated June 26, 2007. Specifically, the Contractor shall complete the following tasks:TASK 1. The Contractor shall collect, store, and disseminate scientific information to be made available in pdf form in the Chemical Kinetics Data Center database in accordance with database requirements and the Contractor shall : (a) Download not less than 800 articles that are selected from regularly scanned journals, books, conference proceedings, technical reports and dissertations for entry as pdf files or otherwise obtain the articles via the NIST interlibrary loan process. Name and format files as needed for compatibility with the NIST Chemical Kinetics Database and send pdf files to NIST personnel for loading onto the NIST server monthly. (b) Scan articles that are obtained in hard copy form and convert them to pdf files. Name and format files as needed for compatibility with the NIST Chemical Kinetics Database and send pdf files to NIST personnel for loading onto the NIST server monthly. (c) If bibliographic entry doesn't already exist, enter the bibliographic information from each article into the bibliographic web-based formal database bibliographic system in proper format using special characters, subscripts, superscripts, and chemical formulas. This requires the capacity to process large volumes of information in a timely fashion. TASK 2. The Contractor shall provide Quality Control services of the Chemical Kinetics Data Center databases by : (a) Checking not less than 800 bibliographic entries for correctness and correct spellings, chemical formulas, and any other errors in entry and correct all/any errors. (b) The Contractors shall check not less than 125 kinetics papers for data errors such as rate parameter data; equilibrium or thermodynamic data; all additional relevant information such as bath gas, data type, error limits, and pressure dependence. Correct errors. The list of papers to be quality controlled will be provided by the NIST Technical Contact. TASK 3. The Contractor shall convert archived hard copy articles to electronic form. (a) Use a scanner to convert not less than 600 previously abstracted articles for the database into pdf files. Name and format files as needed for compatibility with the NIST Chemical Kinetics Database and send pdf files to NIST personnel for loading onto the NIST server. Period of Performance: Base Year and Four One(1) Year Option Periods. In each Option Period, the contractor shall complete Tasks 1, Task 2, and Task 3 above. Deliverables: (c) Monthly reports: The monthly reports shall include the details of the effort, including hours spent in each activity. This report will include but not be limited to reports on any of the related activities pertaining to this contract. COTR: The Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) is : to be determined, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Period of Performance -Base Year with Four(1) Year Option Periods. Place of Performance: NIST 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-1640. Price Quote - The contractor shall submit the best potential fixed fully loaded hourly rate/price based upon an expected yearly level of effort of a not to exceed 675 hours for the above services and the contents of this request for quote. The resulting purchase order shall be negotiated on a time and materials basis and the Government will pay for only the hours expended providing the services. The award shall be made on a best value basis. Best value evaluation factors include the following: 1) Approach - The likelihood of effectively meeting the requirements; 2) Past Performance - The relevance and quality of prior performance; and 3) Price - The amount, realism and consistency of the evaluated price. The evaluation shall be based on use of the adjectival scheme as follows: Outstanding (O) - Conspicuously striking in eminence; Excellent (E) - Very good of its kind; eminently good, superior or first class; Good (G) - Beneficial and worthwhile; sound and valid; Adequate (A) - Reasonably sufficient and suitable; Marginal (M) - Minimally suitable at the lower limit; Unsatisfactory (U) - Not acceptable, not adequate to carry out. The solicitation document and incorporated clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular Number 2005-18. The provisions and clauses may be downloaded at http://www.acqnet.gov.far. The following provisions and clauses shall apply to this solicitation. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors ? Commercial, applies to this acquisition and there is no addenda to this provision; FAR 52,212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items. The Government shall award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: (i) approach, (ii) past performance, (iii) price; FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and there is no addenda to this provision; FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and there is no addenda to this provision; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition; FAR 52.204-9, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel; FAR 52.227-14, Rights in Data- General; 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract and appropriate clauses as needed. All interested contractors must be actively registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at the CCR website www.ccr.gov and must provide a completed copy of the Offeror Representations and Certifications. Interested contractors are invited to review the above Performance Work Statement - NIST Scientific Abstracting and Bibliographic Services for Gas Phase Chemical Kinetics/Thermodynamics -, dated June 26, 2007 and provide a written and electronic response to be received no later than July 24, 2007 addressed to Raymond Staniewski, Contract Specialist, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1640Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-1640, raymond.staniewski@nist.gov. Contractors must submit a complete response. Responses that are not substantially complete will be returned. Offers of partial performance shall be rejected. An original and four copies shall be submitted as well as an electronic version in MS Word or Adobe Acrobat. The electronic version shall be in the form of an email with attachments. A one page letter shall transmit the quotation signed by an individual authorized to commit the organization. Each response shall be on 8 1/2-inch x 11-inch paper, in a commercially standard font, not smaller than a size 12 font. The response shall be secured by simple stapling and shall not contain elaborate binding. Each page in the response shall be separately numbered. A page of paper printed on both sides is considered two pages. The quote shall include the letter of transmittal, shall be limited to twelve(12) single sided pages. Submit quotes arranged in three sections as follows: Section I - Approach, which includes identification and qualifications of relevant personnel and technical management approach; Section II - Past Performance, which includes relevant experience which describes at least three (3) relevant projects performed in the last three years and quality of performance; Section III - Price, firm fixed price for the required technical consulting services. Each firm fixed price shall include sufficient data to allow the Government to determine the amount, realism and consistency of the fixed price. Award shall be made to the responsible contractor that offers the best value to the Government. The Government shall not be liable for any costs incurred in response to this request. The Government reserves the right to make a single award, multiple awards, or no award as a result of this RFQ. It is the responsibility of the contractor to confirm NIST's receipt of quote.