Service Contract for Bottled Drinking Water

The contract awards a Firm Fixed Price service for bottled drinking water delivery, cooler rental, and maintenance at the National Institutes of Health Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland, under solicitation number 75N98026Q00347. The scope includes supplying and installing NO SPILL water coolers with hot and cold dispensers, delivering 5-gallon bottled water and compatible paper cups Monday through Friday during business hours, and performing monthly cleaning and disinfection of equipment in accordance with International Bottled Water Association standards or equivalent, using approved disinfectants such as DISPATCH™ or bleach-based cleaners. Contractors must be members of the International Bottled Water Association or the National Sanitation Foundation and comply with FDA Title 21 regulations for bottled water. Services are required at multiple buildings across the NIH Bethesda Campus, including Buildings 1, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 14D, 14G, 14F, 15B, 15F, 21, 22, 29B, 30, 35, 37, 41, 45, and 49, with deliveries and service performed according to a detailed inventory of cooler locations. Monthly reports on delivery volumes and cleaning activities are required, and delivery tickets must be signed by NIH personnel and submitted on Tuesdays and Fridays to Building 13, Room G962. The contract is structured as a sole-source, Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS code 312112, with a small business size standard of 1,100 employees, and requires all offerors to be verified small businesses with active UEI and CAGE codes in SAM.gov. Proposals are evaluated on a best-value trade-off basis using five technical factors in order of importance: Technical Approach, Experience, Understanding of the Requirement, Key Personnel, and Past Performance, with no assigned numerical weights; adjectival ratings of Acceptable, Marginal, or Unacceptable determine risk and eligibility. The base performance period runs from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, with up to four one-year option periods extending through May 31, 2031, and a unilateral six-month extension option under FAR 52.217-8. The government retains discretion to exercise options based on performance and budget availability. Pricing