National Cancer Institute, Research Contracts Branch, PSAS, 6120 Executive Blvd, EPS/Room 638, Bethesda, MD 20892-7227

J -- REPAIR, MAINTENANCE & RENOVATION SERVICES FOR WALK-IN COLD BOX REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS SOL RFQ90003(NR) DUE 102698 POC Marsha Gorham, Purchasing Agent (301)402-4509 & Todd Cole, Contracting Officer The National Cancer Institute (NCI) plans to procure emergency repair and maintenance services and non-emergency renovation services for its walk-in cold box refrigeration systems in NIH Buildings 36 and 37 in Bethesda, Maryland. The services will be procured in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures authorized in FAR Part 13. This announcement constitutes a combined synopsis/solicitation, and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation includes all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through FAR FAC 97-06. This requirement is set-aside for small businesses. The Standard Industrial Classification Code is 7623 and the business size standard is $5.0 million. A. Background The NCI uses one walk-in cold box room in Building 36 and several constant temperature rooms in Building 37 for its research activities. In general, these rooms provide storage at -20 to +37 degrees Celsius. While the precise requirements cannot be predicted at this time, NCI anticipates requiring emergency repairs and maintenance to these cold rooms and may also require non-emergency renovations to one or more of the rooms during the next two years. Total emergency and non-emergency work on the rooms could total up to $50,000 annually during the two years. B. Requirements The purpose of this procurement is to establish the hourly rates and terms and conditions for obtaining emergency and non-emergency repairs, maintenance, and renovations to the subject cold box rooms on an as needed basis during a base performance period from November 1, 1998 through October 31, 1999 and an option period from November 1, 1999 through October 31, 2000. The Contractor shall also provide refrigeration facilities to NCI as needed during emergency situations. Parts, materials, and refrigeration storage will be priced based on a price schedule agreed to by the parties and established in the purchase order. The following requirements will also apply: (1). Inspection of Facilities: Prospective offerors are required to inspect the cold storage rooms to determine the potential nature and extent of work to be performed and to familiarize themselves with the conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance. Failure to inspect the site shall not constitute grounds for a claim after contract award. Prospective offerors may contact the Purchasing Agent listed in this notice to schedule a visit to the cold storage rooms. (2). Emergency Response Work: (a). The NCI Project Officer or other designated official will advise the Contractor when emergency repair or maintenance needs arise, and provide all procedures, access information, and details needed to minimize interference with ongoing research. The Contractor shall respond expeditiously (normally within one hour during regular business hours) to the Project Officer's inquiries and complete the emergency work within 24 hours of notification (including cleanup). (b). This emergency response service shall be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. (c). The service shall be performed during normal NIH duty hours (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) to the maximum extent practicable. (d). The Contractor shall provide cold storage of NCI materials in its own facilities and refrigerated transportation to those facilities as necessary during emergency situations. (e). The Contractor shall maintain an inventory of common use parts for the NCI refrigeration systems to assist in meeting its emergency service responsibilities. (f) The Contractor shall also maintain a log of all NCI cold room locations and the corresponding type of cold rooms; (g). The Contractor shall attend a preliminary meeting with the NCI Project Officer to establish specific rapid response procedures. (3). Renovation Work: NCI may also request the Contractor to perform renovation work to the cold storage rooms; e.g., installing a new refrigeration system. In these cases the Project Officer or other designated NCI official will provide the Contractor with a written job order that describes the required work (including location, access details, contacts, scheduling, and signage posting areas, etc.) and requests a cost estimate reflecting the hourly service rates and parts pricing schedule established in the contract. Subject to the complexity of the work, the Contractor shall normally complete such renovation work (including cleanup) within ten working days after receiving the job order and notice to proceed. (4). Technical Requirements: Work performed under the contract shall comply with the applicable mechanical codes and standards and the following specific requirements: (a). All cold boxes with operating temperatures below Zero (0) degrees C shall use R-404 refrigerant, and cold boxes with operating temperatures above Zero (0) degrees C shall use R-134a refrigerant; (b). the Contractor shall remove the existing condensing unit, evaporator, piping, and other accessories as required; (c). When a new evaporator is required the Contractor shall install a unit that matches the existing load requirement and has an epoxy coated coil; (d). When a new condensing unit is required the contractor shall furnish and install a unit with the proper capacity and refrigerant for the application. The unit shall be furnished with all required safety and operating controls (as a minimum the unit shall have high and low pressure cut-off switch, high temperature cut-off switch, and space temperature control). The unit shall be either water cooled or air cooled as defined in the work order or approved by the Project Officer; (e). the Contractor shall furnish and install all required refrigeration piping, piping support hangers, piping valving, refrigerant dye, strainer, etc.; (f). the Contractor shall furnish and install all required condensing water piping, controls, and accessories unless NIH agrees to furnish the materials; (g). the Contractor shall leak test and vacuum all refrigeration lines; (h). the Contractor shall connect all required electrical power and control connections; (i). the Contractor shall insulate all piping with the proper thickness for the temperature application; (j). the contractor shall be responsible for the reclamation, handling, and disposal of all ozone depleting refrigerants as required by EPA regulations unless NIH agrees to perform these responsibilities. Debris disposal shall comply with all State, local, and other applicable requirements; (k). All equipment used in projects is subject to the approval of the NCI Project Officer prior to installation; (l). The contractor shall warrant all parts and labor for one (1) year, upon acceptance by the Project Officer. (5). NIH and Safety Requirements: The Contractor and its employees and subcontractors: (a). shall familiarize themselves with and comply with the relevant NIH fire, traffic, security, and other regulations; (b). shall obtain permission and necessary permits for parking from the NIH Special Police prior to starting work ; (c) shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, codes, and orders involving safety and health; (d) shall not use any materials or chemicals which may be a physical or health hazard without receiving prior written approval from the Project Officer and the NIH Division of Safety; (e) shall work closely with the NIH Division of Safety to ensure compliance with NIH Safety and Health specifications and requirements. C. Qualifications The successful offeror must possess the experience, expertise, facilities, refrigerated truck, and inventory of parts and supplies addressed under "Evaluation Criteria" below. The successful offeror must also have direct access, without going through a third party during emergencies, to all facilities and the refrigeration truck. In order to provide timely responses to emergency situations, the successful offeror must have a place of business located within 25 road miles of the NIH Campus in Bethesda, Maryland which includes response personnel and the specified inventory and backup refrigeration facility. D. Exercise of Option The option year may be exercised at the sole discretion of the Government. The Contracting Officer may exercise this option by notifying the Contractor in writing no less than 30 days prior to the completion of the basic one-year performance period. E. Provisions and Clauses The solicitation incorporates the NCI REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS OR QUOTERS (SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS). The award document will incorporate the requirements of the clause at FAR 52.213-4, TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS. Full text copies of these documents may be obtained from Marsha Gorham on (301) 402-4509. F. Evaluation Criteria The technical portion of quotations will receive paramount consideration in selecting a vendor. However, price will also be a significant factor in the event that two or more vendors are determined to be essentially equal following the evaluation of technical factors. In any event, the Government reserves the right to make award to the vendor whose offer provides the greatest overall value to the Government. Offers will be evaluated based on the following technical criteria: (1) demonstration that the offeror possesses the experience and expertise to perform emergency and non-emergency repairs, maintenance, and renovations to the general type of cold box rooms (e.g., ultra low and constant temperature) and related equipment (alarm systems, back-up systems, freeze driers, and growth chambers, etc.); (2) demonstration that the offeror maintains an inventory of compressors, electrical and mechanical temperature controllers, control valves, defrost timers, refrigerants and other common use parts and supplies needed for the repair of refrigeration systems; (3) demonstration that the offeror directly possesses a refrigerated facility with physical security and an alarm system to safeguard valuable research materials from loss during emergency situations plus a refrigerated truck to use in moving materials to that facility. The evaluation criteria will be assigned the following relative weights: (1) 40%; (2) 35%; and (3) 25%. In assessing price, if the offeror proposes separate hourly rates for regular hours and after hours/weekends/holidays, the Government will assume that 50 percent of the work will be performed during regular business hours. The Government will also consider the hourly rates proposed for both the base performance period and the option period in assessing price. However, only one award will be made. G. Offers NCI anticipates ordering up to $50,000 worth of services under the purchase order during the basic performance period and up to the same amount during the option year, but the precise quantities cannot be predicted. Therefore, offerors must propose a fixed hourly rate for performing the services instead of a fixed total price. The proposed hourly rate should exclude parts. Offerors may propose separate hourly rates for regular business hours and after hours/weekends/holidays, but must specify the days/hours applicable to each category if they elect to do this; e.g.,regular business hours might run from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Offerors may also propose different hourly rates for the base performance period and the option period. Offers must be submitted on an SF-18 that is signed by an authorized representative of the offeror and includes a completed "Schedule of Offered Supplies/Services." The "Schedule" should include the proposed hourly service rate(s) for both the base period and the option period if those rates are different, and information on the price schedule for parts, supplies, use of the Contractor's refrigeration facility, and use of the Contractor's refrigerated truck. Offers must include information on how these proposed price schedules compare to the Contractor's normal commercial prices. Offers must be accompanied by a completed and signed NCI REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS OR QUOTERS (SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS). Offers must also be accompanied by a technical proposal that includes materials demonstrating that the offeror has the experience, expertise, facilities, refrigerated truck, inventory of parts and supplies, and can perform all other requirements specified herein to meet the evaluation criteria in this announcement. Offers and related materials must be received in this office by 3:00 pm EST on October 26, 1998. No collect calls will be accepted. Please cite the solicitation number, RFQ90003(NR) on your offer. Posted 10/08/98 (W-SN260528). (0281)

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