Mycotoxin Reference Materials

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, in conjunction with FAR 13.5, as applicable, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This acquisition is being conducted in accordance with FAR Subpart 13.5 test program procedures for commercial items. Simplified acquisition procedures will be followed. (ii) This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (iii) This combined synopsis/solicitation will result in a firm fixed price purchase order. (iv) This combined synopsis/solicitation Request for Quote is being issued as a total small business set aside. The NAICS Code is 325413. The small business size standard is 500 employees, or less. (v) This requirement is for The United States Department of Agriculture Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration(GIPSA), Technical Services Division (TSD) laboratory. Mycotoxins are of global concern due to the serious health problems associated with consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated foods and the negative economic impact of contaminated crops. As a result, GIPSA, TSD is responsible providing testing methods and services for mycotoxins of concern as a means of facilitating the U.S. grain market. GIPSA TSD provides reference testing services in support of rapid mycotoxin test kit evaluations, quarterly check sample program, and appeals. The current reference methods cover analysis of aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone. GIPSA, TSD is purchasing naturally-contaminated mycotoxin reference materials for use in rapid test kit evaluation and support of the official grain inspection service. The use of naturally-contaminated reference materials is critical for ensuring the accuracy of mycotoxin testing. (vi) REQUIREMENT AND QUANTITIES: Contractor to provide mycotoxin reference materials. This requirement consists of twenty-six line items. See Attachment One (1) for the description of the line items. (vii) Shipping will be FOB destination; therefore, shipping of all items must be included in the price for the line item. (viii) Due to the difference in products between vendors, the selected contractor must be able to provide all 26 line items, this will not be a split award. The selected contractor must be able to deliver ALL the requested line items by the dates listed on the attached Schedule of Items. Deliverables and acceptance of the deliverables for the reference materials will be FOB destination USDA, GIPSA, TSD, 10383 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO 64153. (ix) The effective date of the purchase order shall be date of award through acceptance of each of the line items, which will be completed after each of the line item products have been verified they meet the GIPSA technical specifications through GIPSA lab analysis. The vendor should be aware it can take up to 6 weeks before testing is completed. The vendor should invoice when they know the products have been verified they meet the technical specifications and have been accepted by the Government. GIPSA will notify the vendor when the products have been verified and accepted. (x) SPECIFICATIONS: The vendor must meet ALL the specifications below and in Attachment One. In addition to Attachment One, following are the specifications: 1. Reference material must be naturally-contaminated (incurred) from relevant fungi producing the toxin(s). Standard-fortified samples are unacceptable. 2. The protocol for certification is to consist of, at a minimum, analysis of three sample sets on different days. Each sample set is to include the extraction and analysis of seven sub-samples of the reference material for a total of twenty-one sub-samples. The mean concentration determined from analysis of sub-samples of each reference material must fall within the associated range specified in Attachment One (1). The relative standard deviation (RSD), expressed as a percentage, must be less than or equal to that specified in Attachment One. For aflatoxins and fumonisins, the concentration levels specified are total aflatoxins (sum of B1, B2, G1, and G2) and total fumonisins (sum of B1, B2, and B3). 3. The methods used by the vendor for certification of the reference materials must generate results equivalent to the GIPSA reference methods. The GIPSA reference methods are available upon request by notifying the contracting officer. 4. Certified values must be corrected for method recovery from standard-fortified samples as specified in the GIPSA reference methods. 5. Each reference material must be ground to a fineness similar to flour and at least 95% must pass a U.S. Standard No. 20 sieve. 6. Each reference material must be thoroughly mixed for homogenization as one lot prior to certification and be packaged in the specified bulk amount for delivery to customer. 7. The vendor must provide a Certificate of Analysis for each naturally-contaminated reference material stating the certified concentration, uncertainty expressed as the percent relative standard deviation, and the number of replicate sub-samples extracted and analyzed. 8. The vendor must provide the concentration of individual mycotoxins for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) and fumonisins (B1, B2, and B3) along with their totals. 9. The vendor must be able to provide detailed analytical methods for determination of the mycotoxins in the reference materials. 10. The vendor must specify what storage conditions GIPSA must use in order to maintain integrity of sample. 11. Each reference material must be shipped in a manner that ensures the integrity of the sample and the certified concentration of the mycotoxin(s). The mycotoxin concentration in each reference material will be verified by GIPSA TSD using GIPSA reference methods. Bulk reference materials not meeting the specified tolerances will be shipped back to the vendor for concentration adjustment and recertification. If more than two bulk material does not meet the GIPSA tolerances, GIPSA reserves the right to terminate the contract and return all reference materials to the vendor. (xi) The provisions and clauses incorporated into this solicitation document are those in effect at the time of publication. Provisions and clauses incorporated by reference have the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. The full text of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.arnet.gov/far/ (xii) The provision at 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial applies to this solicitation. (xiii) The provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items applies to this solicitation. The contractor shall either complete the on-line Offeror Representations and Certifications or return a completed copy of the Offeror Representations and Certifications with their quotation. The Online Reps and Certs Application Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) can be found at http://www.bpn.gov., or a hard copy of the provision may be attained from http://www.arnet.gov/far. (xiv) The clause at 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. (xv) The clause at 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses identified in FAR 52.212-5 are considered checked and are applicable to this acquisition: 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Aside; 52.219-28-Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3-Convict Labor; 52.222-19-Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies; 52.222-21-Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26-Equal Opportunity; 52.222-36-Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.222-50-Combating Trafficking of Persons; 52.225-1 Buy American Act-Supplies; 52.225-13-Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-33-Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer -Central Contractor Registration. To be awarded this contract, the offeror must be registered in the CCR. CCR information may be found at http://www.ccr.gov; (xvi) EVALUATION OF OFFERS: Award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to this combined synopsis/solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. In this acquisition, the Government will obtain best value by using the Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable source selection approach. Award will be made to the lowest price technically acceptable responsible offeror whose quote conforms to the specifications listed in this Request for Quote/solicitation. FOR AWARD PURPOSES, THE VENDORS QUOTE FOR MYCOTOXIN REFERENCE MATERIALS WILL BE EVALUATED FOR TECHNICAL CAPABILITY ON A PASS/FAIL BASIS USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: The vendor can provide all the line items by the delivery dates requested; The vendor can provide the products in the amounts specified at the listed concentrations (levels) and the associated precision (%RSD) requested according to the certification protocol specified herein; The protocol for certification consists of, at a minimum, analysis of three sample sets on different days. Each sample set includes the extraction and analysis of seven sub-samples of the reference material for a total of twenty-one sub-samples. The mean concentration determined from analysis of sub-samples of each reference material falls within the associated range specified in Attachment One (1). The relative standard deviation (RSD), expressed as a percentage, is less than or equal to that specified in Attachment One (1). For aflatoxins and fumonisins, the concentration levels specified are total aflatoxins (sum of B1, B2, G1, and G2) and total fumonisins (sum of B1, B2, and B3); The methods used by the vendor for certification of the reference materials can generate results equivalent to the GIPSA reference methods; Reference materials will be naturally-contaminated (incurred) from relevant fungi producing the toxin(s); Samples are NOT standard-fortified; Each reference material will be ground to a fineness similar to flour and at least 95% must pass a U.S. Standard No. 20 sieve; Each reference material will be thoroughly mixed for homogenization as one lot prior to certification and can be packaged in the specified bulk amount for delivery to customer. (xvii) Quotations are due to the United States Department of Agriculture, Minneapolis Contracting Office, 100 North Sixth Street, Butler Square, 5th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55403 by 4:00 PM CT, Wednesday, August 18, 2010. Please reference the solicitation number on your documents. Quotes may be submitted by email, fax or regular mail. Email quotes are the preferred method. (xviii) The Contracting Officer is Ms. Corinne Nygren. Ms. Nygren may be reached at contact@example.gov, +1 (555) 000-0000 or by fax at +1 (555) 000-0000. (xix) A COMPLETE QUOTE WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) Price for each line item, see Attachment One. The vendor should provide a price per kilogram. All overhead and ancillary costs associated with providing the line items shall be assumed by the Contractor, and should be factored into the quote. 2) Signature of the offeror on the page which lists the price. 3) A narrative which addresses how your company's product meets the technical evaluation criteria described in (xvi) above. Quotes should be of sufficient detail to determine their adequacy. THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS PORTION OF THE QUOTE MUST BE SEPARATE THAN THE PRICING. 4) A completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items OR a statement indicating that this has been completed on-line. If an offerors quote does not contain all of the items listed above, the quote may be considered incomplete for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to the offerors quote, thereby making an offeror ineligible for award.