66 -- CONSTRUCT PLATE, PICK AND GRID A BACTERIAL ARTIFICIAL CHROMOSOME (BAC)LIBRARY USING MALE RAINBOW TROUT GENOME

Notice Date

March 5, 2001

Contracting Office

USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038

ZIP Code

19038

Solicitation Number

03-3615-01

Response Due

March 22, 2001

Point of Contact

Lisa M. Botella, Point of Contact, (215) 233-6551, fax (215) 233-6558, Eileen LeGates, Contracting Officer

Description

The USDA, Agricultural Research Service requires a Contractor to construct, plate, pick and grid a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) Library for Male Rainbow Trout genome to be furnished and delivered (F.O.B. Origin) for the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (NCCCWA) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. 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. Prices are being requested and a written solicitation is available. CONTRACTORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE SOLICITATION AND/OR ANY FUTURE AMENDMENTS MUST REGISTER IN WRITING TO BE INCLUDED ON THE MAILING LIST WITH THE CONTRACTING OFFICE LISTED ABOVE. The Solicitation number 03-3615-01 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The NAICS is 541710 with a size standard of 1500 employees. The solicitation document incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-20. This procurement is unrestricted. The Government shall provide 5 milliliters of Rainbow Trout red blood cells to the Contractor within 30 days after notice issuance of the of contract award/purchase order. GENERAL SPECIFICATION- The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (NCCCWA) located at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, requires the Male Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) Library to aid in gene mapping and gene sequencing projects. To use the library efficiently, individual clones must be in a format that is conducive to high-throughput protocols. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS -- Upon receipt of the Government-owned Rainbow Trout blood cells from the USDA, ARS, the Contractor shall construct, plate, pick (onto 384-well plates), and grid (spot) onto high-density colony hybridization filters a Male Rainbow Trout BAC Library. All procedures shall be in accordance with good laboratory practices (GLP) and include the following: The Contractor shall: 1) Isolate DNA from male rainbow trout blood cells. 2) Perform partial restriction digest using Hind III or another approved enzyme (see Section A.6). 3)Provide fragments with minimum of 100,000 base pairs and a maximum of 150,000 base pairs and with an average size of 130,000 base pairs shall be selected for ligation into the vector. 4) The vector with insert will be transformed into E. coli DH10B cells. 5) Plate the library onto petri dishes with a growth agar containing chloramphenicol. 6) The clones will be individually picked into 384-well plates, replicated and stored frozen as glycerol stocks. 7) The plates will be numbered starting at 100 and increasing numerically. 8) The 384-well plates will be used to make high-density colony hybridization filters. To make the filters, (48) 384-well plates will be stamped onto a single 22 cm x 22 cm positively charged nylon membrane for a total of 18,432 unique clones in duplicate (36,864 clones). 9) Ten (10) sets of filters (a set having each 384 well plate in the library spotted once) shall be made. Each membrane will be numbered and marked to identify: 1) which set of membranes it belongs to; and 2) which 384-well plates are stamped on that membrane and in what arrangement. For example, the filter marked 1A would be from set 1 and have plates 100-147 stamped on it. Filter 1B would be from set 1 and have plates 148-195 stamped. Filter 2A would be from set 2 and have plates 100-147 stamped on it. 10) Provide 384-well plates of cryo-preserved stocks. 11)Provide ten (10) sets of high-density colony hybridization filters. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS-A)PRE-LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION: 1) PROCEDURE METHOD STATEMENT: The Contractor shall provide, with the quotation, a detailed statement on the following: a) Protocols used for plating, picking, and gridding the library onto high-density colony filters and preparation of the membranes; b) Vectors and list of restriction enzymes used for the partial digest; c) Quality Control Protocols and Methods; d) How the number of clones not containing an insert are determined; e) How the average insert size of the library in base pairs and vectors are determined. B) POST-LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION -- 1) CATALOG REPORT: The Contractor shall provide, upon completion, a detailed report to identify the arrangement of the 384-well plates on the high-density filters such that single clones found positive by hybridization experiments on the filters can be identified in the plates. The report must include which sets of 384-well plates are stamped onto particular filters and delivered with the library and filters. 2) QUALITY CONTROL RESULTS-The Contractor shall include in the catalog report the following quality control results: a) the number of clones not containing a rainbow trout insert; and b) the average insert size of the library in base pairs and vectors. DELIVERABLES-The Contractor shall provide the library, membranes, and the Catalog Report, delivered (F.O.B. Origin), to the USDA, ARS facility at the National Conservation Training Center, Rt. 1, Box 166 Shepherd Grade Road, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, 25443, within sixty (60) days after the receipt of the samples from the Government. Delivery shall be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excl. Federal holidays. PACKING AND SHIPPING-The Contractor shall be responsible for shipping the library frozen as glycerol stocks. The membranes do not have to be frozen and can be sent through regular mail. The Contractor shall pack each item for shipment in a new container in such a manner that will ensure acceptance by common carrier and safe delivery at the destination. Containers and closures shall comply with the Interstate Commerce Regulation, Uniform Freight Classification Rules, or regulation of other carriers as applicable to the mode of transportation. The items to be furnished hereunder shall be labeled with the purchase order number and delivered, all transportation charges paid by the Contractor in accordance with the F.O.B. Origin clause. The provision at 52-212-1, Instruction to Offerors -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition as amended to include: Submit your quotation, acknowledgement of amendments (if any), Reporting Requirements (A.6), Evaluation Information (D.4), warranties, and the Certifications at FAR 52.212-3 to USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION MAY RENDER THE OFFER NONRESPONSIVE. TELEGRAPHIC OR FACSIMILE OFFERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following evaluation criteria are included in paragraph(a) of that provision. Technical Capability, Past Performance and Price. Technical Capability and Past Performance, when combined, are equal to Price. Technical Capability and Past Performance shall be scored on a "Pass/Fail" basis. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION RELATIVE TO EACH EVALUATION FACTOR MAY RENDER YOUR OFFER NON-RESPONSIVE. ADDENDUM TO FAR CLAUSE 52.212-2: EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 1) TECHNICAL CAPABILITY OF THE FIRM. Technical capability will be based on product literature, technical features and warranty provisions. Each offeror is required to furnish a written statement on the Procedure Methods (A.6) that will be used for constructing, plating, picking and gridding the library; vectors used, and quality control methods, descriptive literature, or other documentation, manufacturer or brand name of the item, and show how the offered services and/or product meets or exceeds the requirements as specified in the Specifications. Include a written statement which describes the following to show technical capability: A) Experience with constructing, plating, picking and gridding of the same or similar types of libraries. B) Experience with quality control in all areas of constructing, plating, picking, and gridding the library. C) Employment of most recent contemporary technology for construction of libraries and quality control procedures. 2) PAST PERFORMANCE. Past performance history may be based on the Contracting Officer's knowledge of any previous history of this type of work, customer surveys or any other verifiable information available to the Contracting Officer. The offeror's lack of performance history will not result in disqualification, but will result in a neutral past performance rating. A neutral score could be considered less favorable than a favorable past performance score. In order to be considered for a contract award, Contractors shall provide a list of three (3) contracts of a similar nature and complexity that the were awarded within the past three (3) years or that is/are currently in force. This information must be submitted with your offer. For each contract, list the following: 1. Name, address, and telephone number of the contracting organization, the Government's Project Officer and Contracting Officer. 2. Contract number, type, and dollar value. 3. Type of work and description and the quality control method used. 4. Date of contract and period of performance. 5. List any contract(s) terminated for convenience or default (partial or complete) within the past three (3) years. Include the contract number, name, address, and telephone number of the terminating officer. 3) PRICE. Price includes all services, supplies, materials, shipping, and discount terms. Offerors shall include a complete copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror/Representation and Certifications-Commercial Items, with the quotation. FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. FAR Clause 52.212-4 is amended to include the following clauses by reference: 1) Item (a)- AGAR 452.246-70, Inspection and Acceptance shall be made at destination; 2) Item (g)- Invoices shall be submitted in an original after delivery and acceptance of all items and mailed to the Contracting Officer. 3) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. The full text of these clauses may be accessed electronically at this address: http://www.arnet.gov/far/. 52.214-34, SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (APR 1991); 52.214-35, SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN US CURRENCY (APR 1991); 52.242-17, GOVERNMENT DELAY OF WORK (APR 1984); 52.247-29, F.O.B. ORIGIN (JUN 1988). FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5 are applicable to this acquisition for supplies: 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (FEB 1999); 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (APR 1984); 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Vietnam Era Veterans (APR 1998); 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (JUN 1998); 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (APR 1998); 52.225-3 (Alt 1) Buy American Act-North American Trade Agreement Israeli Trade Ace Balance of Payments Program; 52.225-13, Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.225-15, Sanctioned European Union Country End Products; 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration (MAY 1999). Responses are due on March 22, 2001, by 4:00 p.m. local time, at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010307/66SOL002.HTM (W-064 SN50F2L1)