National Institutes of Health, 6120 Executive Blvd., Room 868, Bethesda, MD 20892

68 -- COMPRESSED GASES SOL 0019 POC Sheri Lawson, Contracting Officer, 301/402-3065 or Edward Wilgus, Chief, Acquisitions Branch A/B, 301/402-3070. The OPM (Office of Procurement Management), NIH (National Institutes of Health) is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of businesses to furnish all the necessary transportation, personnel (supervision/labor), facilities and cylinders (with the exception of the Liquid Nitrogen cylinders) to provide Liquid Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Argon, Technical Grade, Argon, UHP Grade, Nitrogen, Technical Grade and Helium, UHP Grade. In an effort to meet all the delivery requirements specified herein, the Contractor shall be physically located within a one hundred (100) mile (160.93 kilometer) radius of the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, Montana 59840. The intended procurement will be classified under SIC 2813, Industrial Gases with a size standard of 1, 000. The Contractor shall: 1) Furnish all the necessary transportation, personnel (supervision/labor), facilities and cylinders (with the exception of the Liquid Nitrogen cylinders) to provide Liquid Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Argon, Technical Grade, Argon, UHP Grade, Nitrogen, Technical Grade and Helium, UHP Grade. 2) Deliver the specified gases and pick-up empty cylinders on Mondays between the hours of 8:00 a.m and 11:30 a.m. (Mountain Time) and/or between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) throughout the duration of this contract, with the exception of Federal Holidays. In the event that a Federal Holiday occurs on a Monday, the Contractor shall pickup and deliver the following Tuesday. 3) Provide Emergency Delivery Service for all gases specified herein. The service shall be provided Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. All gases ordered (Emergency service) before noon shall be delivered that same day and all gases ordered in the afternoon shall be delivered before noon on the following work day. The period of performance shall be for twelve (12) months from date of award with four (4) successive twelve (12) month option periods. Concerns that respond to this synopsis shall furnish concise responses directed specifically to the requirements mentioned above and are invited to submit capability statements in an original plus two (2) copies no later than fifteen (15) business days from the date of this announcement. Responding firms that are located outside the one hundred (100) (160.93 kilometer) mile radius of the RML area, shall indicate how the firm would coordinate with and provide gases to the RML. Sources demonstrating the capability to accomplish the above shall supply pertinent information in sufficient detail to demonstrate their ability to perform. Information furnished should include enough material to allow the Agency to perform a proper evaluation. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) NOR IS AN RFP CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. Capability Statements: (a) If mailing your capabilities through the U.S. Postal Service use the following address: National Institutes of Health, Office of Procurement Management, OA, 6120 Executive Blvd., Room 868, ATTN: Sheri Lawson, Bethesda, MD 20892. (b) If hand delivering, or using a courier service such as: UPS, Federal Express, etc., use the following City, State, and Zip Code: Rockville, MD 20852. Responses by Facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. This market survey is being conducted through the CBD to reach the widest possible audience and to gather current market information. (0353)

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