Dry Ice

The National Institutes of Health, Office of Acquisitions, Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations is conducting a market survey/sources sought to help determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, HUBZONE Small Businesses; Service-Disabled, Veteran Owned Small Businesses; 8(a) Small Businesses; Woman Owned Small Businesses; or Small Disadvantaged Businesses capable of serving the needs mentioned below. This market survey/sources sought announcement is not a request for proposals and the Government is not committed to award a contract pursuant to this announcement. The information from this market research is for planning purposes only and will assist the Government in planning its acquisition strategy. This is strictly market research and the Government will not entertain questions concerning this market research. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of information for responding to this market survey. This is a request for interested firms with the capability of providing the required services to submit a capability statement for the purpose of determining whether or not this procurement will be set aside for small/small disadvantaged businesses. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code 312113 with a size standard of 500 employees. Dry Ice is a critical item for most, if not all, of the NIH research community. The NIH research community depends on the NIH Central Stockroom to meet their needs by having dry ice delivered to them the next business day after it is ordered. The Government anticipates soliciting an indefinite delivery (requirements) type contract. Dry ice is used at the NIH for a number of different purposes to include; preservation and storage, transporting, cold temperature stabilization, related research preservation purposes as well as back-up in the event of power failure affecting refrigerated/freezer items. Dry ice is ordered during normal business hours (five days a week). Daily orders will be telephoned or faxed to the contractor by 3pm for delivery the following day. Deliveries are to be made to locations specified on the daily order forms by 5am the following work day. 60,000 boxes of crushed ice and approximately 1,200 boxes of block slabs with boxes were ordered during fiscal year 2010. There are approximately 60 NIH delivery points within the main campus and other NIH facilities within a 50-mile radius. Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide (1) a capability statement demonstrating their experience and capability to fulfill the Government's requirement. Information submitted should include previous contracts performed including a brief description, dollar value, client's name, address, telephone number, and name of contact and duration of contract and firm's size and type of business (e.g., small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a), Hub Zone, etc.). Three copies of the capability statement must be received at the address identified in the synopsis by Friday, June 24, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. EST. When utilizing a courier service, Federal Express, or UPS, the city, state and zip code MUST READ ROCKVILLE, MD 20852. Responses via facsimile (FAX) WILL NOT be accepted. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether sufficient small businesses possess the capability to fulfill the Government's requirement and to ensure competition under a set-aside acquisition. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement as a set-aside based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Three copies of your capability statement shall be sent to Terita Stevenson, Contract Specialist, 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 539-C, Rockville, Maryland 20852 by June 24, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.