U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Contracts Management Division (MD-33), Attn: ORDSC, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

68 -- PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SAMPLES OF REFERENCE TOXICANTS SOL AE0131 DUE 031199 POC McDonald Morrison, (919) 541-4364 WEB: EPA Contracts Management Division, RTP,NC Web Site, http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. E-MAIL: click here to contact the contracting officer, morrison.mcdonald@epa.gov. THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is AE0131 and the solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-10. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates that the acquisition will be made as a small business set-aside. A fixed-price indefinite quantity/indefinite delivery contract is anticipated to result from the award of this solicitation. The associated Standard Industrial Code (SIC) is 2899 with a size standard of 500 employees. The Ecological Exposure Research Division (EERD) of the U.S. EPA is responsible for conducting toxicity performance evaluation studies for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. These studies are also known as DMRQA (Discharge Monitoring Report -- Quality Assurance) studies. The Government is seeking a contractor for the DMRQA-19 study to produce a base quantity of 200 samples each of two different reference toxicants with increased quantity options of up to 300 additional samples for each of the two reference toxicants (a maximum of 500 samples for each reference toxicant). The Government may unilaterally exercise the options at any point during the period of performance. The contractor shall produce all samples, including any option samples from a single batch of each of the reference toxicants. After providing EERD with six samples of each of the reference toxicants for the purpose of verification, the contractor shall distribute the reference toxicants (along with instruction sheets provided by EPA) to approximately 350 laboratories from a list provided by EPA. Distribution will be performed in two phases; the initial phase (about 85% of the total samples in the study) and a replacement phase (about 15%). It is anticipated that an award will be made by 3/25/99, verification samples will be presented to EERD within five weeks of award, verification by EERD will be completed within nine weeks of award, a complete list of the names and addresses of the requesting laboratories will be provided by the Government within 10 weeks of award, instruction packages sent to contractor within 13 weeks of award, initial distribution of samples completed within 14-15 weeks of award, and back-up distribution completed within 24 weeks of award. Upon shipment of the final samples, the Contractor shall provide the following information to EERD: 1) the source and purity of each of the reference toxicants and 2) a list, by laboratory of the toxicant samples shipped, date shipped, carrier and shipment reference/tracking number. Offeror's shall provide separate pricing for the base and option quantities.Pricing shall include shipping charges. For information purposes, a list of zip codes of the laboratories participating in the last study can be found at http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. In order to ensure the integrity of the DMRQA-19 study,the identity of the reference toxicants has not been included in this announcement and will be sent by registered mail only to those firms requesting the information. Firms requesting the identity of the reference toxicants will be required to first sign an acknowledgment form agreeing that by receiving the identity of the reference toxicants they will be prohibited from participating in the DMRQA-19 study. They will also have to sign a certification that they will not release the identity of the reference toxicants to other parties. A copy of the acknowledgment form can also be found at http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Offerors will be evaluated using the following technical capabilities criteria: 1) Experience with packing/shipping materials IAW Material Safety Data Sheets and 2) Past Performance. Award will be made to the lowest priced offer meeting all of the technical requirements. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1, Evaluation-Instructions to Offerors-Commercial; 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Item. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of provision 52.212-2 are as follows: (I) technical capability to meet the Government requirements; (ii) past performance; (iii) price, in decreasing order of importance. Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. All offerors are to include with their offers a completed copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items. The following FAR clause applies to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items. The following additional FAR clauses which are cited in clauses 52.212-5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I; 52.203-10, Price or Fee Adjustmentfor Illegal or Improper Activity; 52.217-7, Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item; 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.225-3, Buy-American Act -- Supplies. Cost and Technical information should be submitted in separate proposals. Please submit two copies of technical proposal and one copy of cost proposal to McDonald Morrison, Contract Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-33, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Courier Delivery Address is: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Receptionist-Administration Bldg. Lobby, Attn: McDonald Morrison, 79 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. All offers are due by March 11, 1999, 4:30p.m. ET. Offers/bids received after the exact time specified will not be considered. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored. Posted 02/11/99 (W-SN297720). (0042)

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