SOLICITATION NOTICE
Q -- Biochemical and Biophysical Services for the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
- Notice Date
- 7/8/2013
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-CSB-(AR)-2013-164-RRJ
- Archive Date
- 7/24/2013
- Point of Contact
- Robin Jeffries, Phone: 3014350376
- E-Mail Address
-
robin.jeffries@nih.gov
(robin.jeffries@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), Intramural Research Program (IRP), Laboratory of Structural Biology Research (LSBR) seeks to elucidate structure-function-assembly relationships of macromolecular complexes by cryo-electron microscopy integrated with other approaches. Systems currently under study include viruses, cytoskeletal filaments, energy-dependent proteases, and amyloid filaments. The LSBR is committed to a comprehensive program of innovative scientific research into the structure and assembly of macromolecular complexes including, in particular, viral capsids. These viral capsids require specialized assistance from the requested contractor; in the preparation, manipulation, and analysis of capsids by electron microscopy, and other biophysical techniques. Purpose and Objectives The LSBR requires the services of a Contractor with demonstrated experience and skills in handling and analyzing capsids of the herpes simplex virus, related proteins and protein complexes. The Contractor will isolate precursor capsids and break down complete mature virions to study their protein compositions and the interactions among these proteins. Contractor Requirements The Contractor shall: • Be primarily involved in generating preparations of purified viral particles and subviral particles- and viral proteins for structural analysis, and may also participate in said structural analysis. To do so, the Contractor must have demonstrated knowledge and experience in propagating viruses under tissue culture conditions, and in isolating targeted molecules from the infected cells. • Have adequate experience in operating needed equipment, such as freezers, refrigerators, centrifuges, incubators, tissue culture equipment, power supplies, gel and immunoblotting equipment, water baths, pH meters, balances, electron microscopes, spectrophotometers, and equipment for chromatography. • Appropriately document his/her experimental work and will participate in the LSBR's program of "Data Club" seminars. Major experimental objectives are as follows:  Prepare fresh and structurally homogeneous preparations of the procapsid of herpes simplex virus.  Prepare virions intended for structural studies of the herpes virus tegument by electron tomography.  Prepare virions depleted of their envelopes and designated tegument components, as well as such particles to which other proteins have been specifically bound.  Isolate the 336-kDa viral protein UL36, and study its structure by EM.  Isolate complexes ofUL36 with other viral proteins -UL37, UL 17 and UL25. Map their binding sites.  Advise and assist with crystallization project(s) of the triplex complexes of herpes simplex and other herpes viruses. Period and Place of Performance: The period of performance is a twelve (12) month base year, with two twelve (12) month option years. Base Year: one year from award. Option Year 1: one year from expiration of base year. Option Year 2: one year from expiration of option year 1. The Contractor shall work on the NIH campus, using government-provided office space, laboratory bench-space, and access to such equipment and other resources as are available in the LSBR. Free parking on the NIH campus is provided. The contractor may perform part of the work in other locations, as the successful development of research projects may require. Level of Effort: The Contractor's position is part-time for a total of 1000 hours per year (12 months), exclusive of all federal holidays. No overtime shall be paid. Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to robin.jeffries@nih.gov. All questions must be received by 5:00 p.m. EST July 12, 2013. All responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation on or before, July 16, 2013. FAR provisions and clauses that apply to this acquisition are: FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items. The Offer shall include all documents as cited in the clause. An addendum is not applicable to this provision. FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items. FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items, including the following subparagraphs, apply to this acquisition: 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards; 52.209-6, Protecting the Government Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment; 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns; 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3, Convict Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans; 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving; 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration; The following FAR provision and clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract; 52.232-18 Availability of Funds; The Government intends to award a single purchase order from this solicitation. The Government reserves the right not to award a purchase order. Evaluation of Proposals: The Government reserves the right to make an award without discussions based solely upon initial proposals. The Government will use a tradeoff process for this source selection. Award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation requirements and provides the best value to the Government, non-price factors and price considered. Relative importance: 1. All evaluation factors other than Price, when combined, are more important than price. 2. As the Non-Price technical rating becomes more equal between offerors, price becomes more important. TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS: TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #1: Demonstrated expertise, as evidenced by peer reviewed scientific publications, in the propagation of herpes viruses, their isolation by biochemical and biophysical techniques, and in the purification and analysis of related proteins and protein complexes. Total Possible Points: 25 TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #2: Experience in preparing structurally homogeneous samples of the procapsid of herpes simplex virus, in the use of electron microscopes, and expertise with various electron microscopy sample preparation techniques, including negative stain and thin sections. Total Possible Points: 25 TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #3: Experience working on and contributing to imaging projects by electron microscopy, computational image processing, and x-ray crystallography. Total Possible Points: 25 TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #4: Experience in operating necessary equipment, such as tissue culture equipment, equipment for chromatography, centrifuges, incubators, gel and immunoblotting equipment, power supplies, spectrophotometers, water baths, pH meters, balances, freezers and refrigerators. Total Possible Points: 25 PAST PERFORMANCE: The offeror's past performance information will be evaluated subsequent to the technical evaluation. However, this evaluation will not be conducted on any offeror whose proposal is determined to be technically unacceptable. The evaluation will be based on information obtained from references provided by the offeror, other relevant past performance information obtained from other sources known to the Government, and any information supplied by the offeror concerning problems encountered on the identified contracts and corrective action taken. The government will assess the relative risks associated with each offeror. Performance risks are those associated with an offeror's likelihood of success in performing the acquisition requirements as indicated by that offeror's record of past performance. The assessment of performance risk is not intended to be a product of a mechanical or mathematical analysis of an offeror's performance on a list of contracts but rather the product of subjective judgment by the Government after it considers relevant information. When assessing performance risks, the Government will focus on the past performance of the offeror as it relates to all acquisition requirements, such as the offeror's record of performing according to specifications, including standards of good workmanship; the offeror's record of controlling and forecasting costs; the offeror's adherence to contract schedules, including the administrative aspects of performance; the offeror's reputation for reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction; and generally, the offeror's business-like concern for the interest of the customer. The Government will consider the currency and relevance of the information, source of the information, context of the data, and general trends in the offeror's performance. The lack of a relevant performance record may result in an unknown performance risk assessment, which will neither be used to the advantage nor disadvantage of the offeror. PRICE: An evaluation of the offeror's price proposal will be made to determine if proposed prices are realistic for the work to be performed, reflect a clear understanding of the requirements, and are consistent with the technical proposal. Reasonableness determinations will be made by determining if competition exists, by comparing proposed prices with established commercial and/or by comparing proposed prices with the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE). Evaluation of Options: In accordance with FAR Provision 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement, except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government's best interests. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). The Government may reject any and all offers if such action is deemed necessary. The Government may also waive informalities and minor irregularities in the offers received. In order to receive an award from NHLBI, contractors must have a valid registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) located at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and assigned rating, is not applicable to this acquisition. All offerors shall submit two electronic files to robin.jeffries@nih.gov. One electronic file shall contain all technical information; the second electronic file shall contain all pricing information. Offerors shall submit their proposals no later than 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on July 22, 2013. The proposal must reference the RFP No. NHLBI-CSB-(AR)-2013-164-RRJ. All responsible offerors may submit a proposal, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency. All Proposals shall contain the following: Provide the name of the biologist and proof of bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering, biology, or a related area. TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #1: Offerors shall submit descriptions of projects, in the past two (2) years, demonstrating the biologist's experience as evidenced by peer reviewed scientific publications, in the propagation of herpes viruses, their isolation by biochemical and biophysical techniques, and in the purification and analysis of related proteins and protein complexes. (include description; dollar value; period of performance; contact name and phone number). TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #2: Offerors shall submit descriptions of projects, in the past two (2) years, demonstrating the biologist's experience in the use of preparing structurally homogeneous samples of the procapsid of herpes simplex virus, in the use of electron microscopes, and expertise with various electron microscopy sample preparation techniques, including negative stain and thin sections.. (include description; dollar value; period of performance; contact name and phone number). TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #3: Offerors shall submit descriptions of projects, in the past two (2) years, demonstrating the biologist's experience working on and contributing to imaging projects by electron microscopy, computational image processing, and x-ray crystallography. (include description; dollar value; period of performance; contact name and phone number). TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR #4: Offerors shall submit descriptions of projects, in the past two (2) years, demonstrating the biologist's experience in operating necessary equipment, such as tissue culture equipment, equipment for chromatography, centrifuges, incubators, gel and immunoblotting equipment, power supplies, spectrophotometers, water baths, pH meters, balances, freezers and refrigerators. (include description; dollar value; period of performance; contact name and phone number) NOTE: For Technical Evaluation Factor's #1, #2, #3, and #4, if the contractor has a project that encompasses two or more of the four evaluation factors one project can be submitted. Meaning, individual projects for each factor would not need to be submitted for each factor, if a project addresses multiple factors. However, please identify in the project's description which factor's the project addresses. PAST PERFORMANCE: The Offeror shall provide three (3) purchase orders/contracts (Federal Government, State Agencies, Local Government; and commercial concerns), similar to this requirement. Include the following information for each contract or subcontract listed: 1. Name of Contracting Organization 2. Contract Number (for subcontracts, provide the prime contract number and the subcontract number) 3. Contract Type 4. Total Contract Value 5. Description of Requirement 6. Contracting Officer's Name and Telephone Number 7. Program Manager's Name and Telephone Number 8. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code The offeror may provide information on problems encountered on the identified contracts and the offeror's corrective actions. The Government is not required to contact all references provided by the offeror. Also, references other than those identified by the offeror may be contacted by the Government to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation of the offeror's past performance. 1) PRICE: Provide a firm-fixed hourly rate for the services described in the Statement of Work for the base period, option period 1, and option period 2. If applicable, the offeror shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s). Proposals can be emailed to the Contracting Officer, Robin Jeffries at robin.jeffries@nih.gov; Proposals shall not be deemed received by the Government until the quotation is entered into the e-mail address inbox set forth above. For Additional information, contact Robin Jeffries, electronically at robin.jeffries@nih.gov. Place of Contract Performance: NIH, 50 South Drive, Building 50, Room 1505, Bethesda, MD 20814.
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