66 -- ELEMENTAL ANALYZER

Notice Date

September 15, 2000

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

27711

Solicitation Number

XQCE06

Response Due

September 25, 2000

Point of Contact

Pamela E. Smith (919) 541-0635

E-Mail Address

click here to contact the contracting officer via (smith.pamela@epa.gov)

Description

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 XQCe06 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 97-16. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates that the contract will be awarded as a result small business set-aside, firm-fixed price contract. Award will be made using Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The desired delivery date 90 days after award of purchase order. The contractor shall provided a "Elemental Analyzer". Statement of Work for Elemental Analyzer: Background: The Coastal Ecology Branch (CEB) of the Gulf Ecology Division of EPA'S National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory requires the acquisition of an element analyzer to replace and existing unit. CEB is involved in environmental monitoring and other research activities that require the determination of levels of carbon and nitrogen in both particulate samples (on filters) and liquid samples. The data is being used in characterization of carbon and nitrogen cycling in small estuaries and bayous along the Gulf of Mexico. The division would also like to have the capability of analyzing additional elements with the same instruments (i.e. sulfur -oxygen). Description: What EPA is requiring is a single instrument capable of simultaneous determination of the levels of carbon and nitrogen in both solid and liquid samples, with the capacity for reconfiguring the analysis of the same types of samples for sulfur or oxygen. In addition, the instrument should be computer driven and capable of unattended operation after initial setup and calibration. The instrument should also be capable of being linked to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer(IRMS). Required specification are listed below. The system shall meet all of the following criteria: 1.) Elemental analyzer shall be capable of simultaneous determination of levels of carbon and nitrogen, with the capacity to accept modules to configure for the analysis of sulfur or oxygen; 2.) Analyzer shall posses an autosampler capable of handling 32 solid samples or greater; 3.) Analyzer shall possess the capability to analyze liquid samples through direct injection or use of an automated liquid injection system; 4.)The instrument shall utilize gas chromatography separation of the sample with thermal conductivity detection: 5.) The instrument shall use a continuous flow design so that it has the capability to interface with a Finnigan "Delta Plus" isotope ratio mass spectrometer utilizing a Conflo II interface system. References of operational interface shall be provided; 6.)The instrument shall be delivered with software that will control the operation of the instrument as well assist the generation and exportation of results. The software shall be capable of generating detailed reports of individual samples or a single report summarizing the results of a batch of samples. These reports shall be exportable in an Excel format. Software shall be windows 95/98 compatible; 7.) Instrument package shall include installation and training, an instrument will not be accepted until actual samples have been analyzed, along with a minimum of a 12 month comprehensive warranty. An extended warranty or maintenance agreement, inclusive of parts and labor, should be offered by the manufacturer to maintain this instrument at optimal performance: 8.)Instrument package shall be delivered no later than 90 days after receipt of order. Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria: The Government intends to award a single contract to the responsible offeror whose technically acceptable proposal represents the best overall value to the Government based on evaluation of the factors listed below. Only those offerors submitting technically acceptable proposals (as determined under criterion A.1 below) shall be considered for award. For the purposes of this best-value evaluation of technically acceptable proposals, technical approach (criterion B.1), past performance(criterion B.2), and price (criterion.3) are of approximately equal importance. The following is a description of each evaluation criterion, including information which must be included with initial proposals: A. Mandatory Criteria: 1.) Demonstrated ability of the proposed system upgrades to meet the requirements set forth in the Statement of Work. The specifications in the Statement of Work represent the Goverment's minimum needs. Proposals must include sufficient material (such as narrative technical specifications, drawings, photos, brochures, demo disks, videos, etc.) to permit the Goverment to determine that the proposed upgrades will meet the requirements set forth in the Statement of Work. Any specific variances from the specifications shall be addressed by the offeror with respect to how the offeror's proposal provides alternative equivalence. Failure of an offeror to demonstrate that the proposed upgrades will meet the Statement of Work requirements shall render the offeror ineligible for further consideration for award. B.) Additional Criteria: Proposals determined to be technically acceptable under criterion 1 above shall be further evaluated as described below: 1. Technical Approach: Proposals will be evaluated for creative and innovative use of technology and methods to accomplish objectives . 2. ast Performance: Each offeror submitting a technically acceptable proposal shall be evaluated on performance under existing and prior (within the past 3 years) contracts/subcontracts/orders for systems similar to that described in the Statement of Work for this requirement. The Goverment's evaluation shall focus on the quality of past performance and level of customer satisfaction. Proposals shall include a representative list of contracts/subcontracts/orders completed during the past three years, and contracts/subcontracts/orders currently in process, which are similar in nature to this requirement.For each contract/subcontract/order identified, include a brief synopsis which includes the date the work was performed, the client for whom the work was performed (include client name and telephone number), and a description of the system which was installed. 3. Price:The proposed firm-fixed-price for the entire project shall be entered in the appropriate block on the standard form provided by the Goverment.The Goverment reserves the right to require additional pricing information if necessary to determine that the proposed price is reasonable. The associated Standard Industrial Code (SIC) is 3823 and the size standard is 500 employees. The following FAR provisions shall apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1, Evaluation-Instructions to Offerors Commercial. All offerors are to include with their offer 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: 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 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. Price and technical information should be submitted in separate proposals. Representations and Certifications shall be included with the price proposal. Please submit two copies of the technical proposal and two copies of the price proposal to Pamela E. Smith, Contracting Officer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 79 T.W. Alexander, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. All offers are due by September 25, 2000 4:30p.m. ET. No telephone or faxed requests or offers will be honored. The list of references can be found online at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd .

Web Link

http://www.wpa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd (http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20000919/66SOL009.HTM (W-259 SN497398)