Laboratory Animal Bedding

This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) availability of competition; (2) the capability of qualified small business concerns; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) located in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is one (1) of the 27 Institutes and Centers composing the National Institutes of Health. The NIEHS is home to the National Toxicology Program (NTP), a Health & Human Services (HHS) interagency program dedicated to testing and evaluating substances in our environment. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this sources sought synopsis is to gain knowledge of commercially available providers that may be of interest to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The NIEHS is conducting market research to identify providers for the acquisition and delivery of standard, commercial laboratory animal bedding to NIEHS. The Contractor shall provide the following: One (1) truckload of approximately 1,300 bags of 2.2-2.5 ft3 of finished bedding product. Each bag will contain approximately 25 lbs. of finished bedding product and be delivered on shrink-wrapped pallets of 25 bags/pallet or 52 pallets/truckload. The contractor shall manufacture three (3) tractor-trailer loads of bedding (3,900 bags or 2,860 cu ft. of product) in one production run (termed batches - A, - B & - C). The same lot number and manufacture or mill date shall be assigned to all bedding bags produced in a single production run. All bags shall be stored by the contractor at their expense in a vermin-free warehouse or other vermin-free facility until the bedding is cleared for shipment and ordered by NIEHS. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The anticipated period of performance is for a requirements contract for a 5 year contract with pricing periods. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE: The intended procurement will be classified under the NAICS code 321999. - All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing with a size standard of 500. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TYPE: This anticipated contract type is a requirements contract with a firm fixed price per bag of bedding. PERFORMANCE CONTRACT TYPE: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION SOUGHT: Capability statements should include the following information: Company name and address; Clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing and ability to provide the services specified in this notice; Examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information; respondents DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, size and type of business (e.g. - HUBZONE small businesses; service-disable, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses, woman-owned small businesses, or small disadvantaged businesses); Point of contract, including telephone number and email address for representative from interested business; Do you have a GSA vehicle that could be utilized for these services? If yes, please provide the contract number and point of contract information CONFIDENTIALITY: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in beta.SAM. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Interested parties may be identity their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Written responses to this synopsis shall contain sufficient documentation to establish their capability to fulfill this requirement. NIEHS will not be responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties in responding to this notice. Please email, with the sources sought notice number in the subject line to the Contracting Officer listed below. Contracting Office Address: Office of Acquisition, Office of Management 530 Davis Drive Durham, North Carolina 27713 United States Place of Performance Research Triangle Park, NC Primary Point of Contact Ndidi Okeagu Contract Specialist ejinwaemeonu.okeagu@nih.gov