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

B -- DETERMINATION OF NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN WATER SAMPLES OF VARYING SALINITIES SOL XMR012/XMT032 POC Ramona G. Evans, Contract Specialist (919) 541-4749 WEB: Click here to visit the site that has information about, http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contract Specialist via, evans.ramona@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 XMR012/XMT032, and the solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-17. The associated Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code is 8734 which has a size standard of $5.0M in average annual receipts over the last three years to qualify as a small business; however, it is anticipated that the contract will be awarded as a result of full and open competition. A firm-fixed-price purchase order is anticipated to result from the award of this solicitation. Award will be made to a single contractor for all analyses. This procurement requires the contractor to Determine Nutrient Concentrations in Water Samples of Varying Salinities. In addition to this Request for Quotation, offerors should review the Statement of Work and other information posted with this Request for Quotation on EPA's web site at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd/ . In the CLIN below, EA = Analyte. CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 1. 22,982 EA -- See the Statement of Work. Approximately 4955 samples will be submitted (in a frozen state) for analysis over a seven-month period beginning approximately 06/30/2000. These samples will be submitted in batches of between 100 and 400 samples. Approximately 79% of these samples will have nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, orthophosphate, and silicate ion concentrations determined; 14% will have nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and orthophosphate determined; 7% will have only nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium determined. The matrices of these overlying and interstitial water (~23% of the total number) samples could range from fresh water to ~30 . The matrix attributes and analytes would be specified, by sample, in the shipping information. This combination of samples and analytes per sample yields 22,982 analytical results. The contractor shall provide EPA with a price estimate on a per analyte basis for the Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) above. 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 CAPABILITIES CRITERIA: 1.) Demonstration of Minimum Qualification Requirements: (a) Lab management or personnel with at least 1 year experience analyzing seawater samples for the 5 nutrients at concentrations as low as the low end of the standardization range in the Statement of Work, Section 3.c.(1); (b) Ability to meet the 3-week minimum turn around requirement for the duration of the study (Statement of Work, Section 3.a.); (c) Ability to perform the 5 analyses with a minumum of 15 ml of sample; 2.) Demonstration of evidence of participation in any state or federal laboratory certification programs, or a list of at least 2 publications in marine science journals that have used nutrient data provided by them; 3.) Submission of an electronic version of what the offeror would consider to qualify as a "Quality Assurance Manual" that is used to support the routine quality of its data; this document shall be in a Word or WordPerfect format; 4.) Offerors shall submit a response to the question, "How does your laboratory deal with samples of varying salinities (that are approximately known) when performing nutrient analyses?" and if 'matching the salinity matrix of samples' is necessary for your instrumentation, answer the question, "How close does the standard matrix need to be to the sample matrix?"; 5.) Offerors shall submit a response to the question, "How does your laboratory deal with samples of widely varying concentrations (see Section 3.c.(1) for possible ranges) such as those that may be found in a batch of samples that contain IW samples (high ammonia) and fresh water (high silicate)?" Would dilution and reanalysis following an initial determination be the strategy and would there be an additional charge for each sample requiring this treatment to obtain values within the instrument calibration? ; (ii) PAST PERFORMANCE -- Submit a list of 3 "customers" who have submitted seawater samples for analysis within the past 2 years. Include specific individuals to contact and their phone numbers. (past performance will be evaluated as follows: quality of product or service, timeliness of performance -- ability to adhere to deadlines, and overall customer satisfaction); and (iii) PRICE in decreasing order of importance. Technical capability and past performance when combined are significantly more important than price. Award will be made to the offeror whose offer represents the best value to the Government considering the criteria referenced above. As offers become more equal in their technical merit, the evaluated price becomes more important. 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 Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity; 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; 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As Amended. Any applicable wage determination(s) will be made a part of the resultant purchase order. Price and technical information should be submitted in separate proposals. It is requested that the completed Representations and Certifications be included with the price proposal. Offerors are asked not to phone the contract specialist with questions. Technical questions are to be forwarded via email to the Contract Specialist at the following email address: evans.ramona@epa.gov . Offerors should frequently go to EPA's web site ( http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd/ ) and click on this Request for Quotation, to check the status of this procurement and to ascertain if any amendments have been issued addressing technical questions and/or extending the due date for receipt of offers. The Contract Specialist will also try to notify any offerors who have emailed her expressing an interest in the solicitation when and if amendments have been posted to the web site (see email address above); however, it is each offeror's responsibility to frequently check this site for an updated status of the procurement and for any amendments that have been issued. Please submit two copies of the technical proposal and two copies of the price proposal to Ramona G. Evans, 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: Ramona G. Evans (MD-33), 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. All offers are due by June 20, 2000, 3:30 p.m. ET. No telephonic or faxed requests or offers will be honored. The Statement of Work is posted with the RFQ at this same web site: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Posted 06/01/00 (W-SN460580). (0153)

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