SOLICITATION NOTICE
68 -- Agar Powdered, USP, NF 53,000 lbs - AG-6395-S-12-0021
- Notice Date
- 2/1/2012
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 325414
— Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Administrative Services Division/Contracting, 100 North 6TH Street, Butler Square 5TH Floor, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55403
- ZIP Code
- 55403
- Solicitation Number
- AG-6395-S-12-0021
- Archive Date
- 3/30/2012
- Point of Contact
- Carol R. Dingess, Phone: 612-336-3208, James Roloff, Phone: 6123363223
- E-Mail Address
-
carol.dingess@aphis.usda.gov, james.g.roloff@aphis.usda.gov
(carol.dingess@aphis.usda.gov, james.g.roloff@aphis.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Offers submitted without completion of CCR registration and provision 52.212-3 will be considered nonresponsive. Offeror is responsible for correct input and acceptance of info for on-line registration at time of submission. This is a solicitation prepared in accordance with FAR 12, and 15 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND NO OTHER WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. In accordance with FAR 15.306 the Government will evaluate proposals in response to this solicitation without discussions. This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses which are in effect through the most current Federal Acquisition Circular. Applicable FAR clauses are incorporated by reference and may be viewed on the website https://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html Supplies or Services - Prices/costs Vendors may submit one or both options but only one will be awarded 001 46,000lbs by March 1 2012 And an optional quantity of 7,000lbs by May 1 2012 Or 002 26,500lbs by March 1, 2012 And 26,500lbs by May 1, 2012 Item Description: 53,000lbs of Agar Powdered USP, NF. All Subject to Sample Approval. Offeror shall submit a firm-fixed price offer for all costs necessary to furnish all equipment, labor, transportation, supplies, etc. needed to provide the Agar Powdered USP, NF according to the specifications. Price proposals should be of sufficient detail to determine their adequacy. In the event one supplier is not able to supply the USDA, PPQ, PBWRF with the total amount of agar requested, in accordance with FAR 52.216-27, this request for proposals may result in multiple contract awards. The Government reserves the right to award to one offeror or make multiple award decisions based on the most advantageous offer to the Government. Offerors may proposal either one of option delivery schedules and quantities or both but only one will be awarded. The PBWRF uses agar as a binding agent in the artificial insect diet prepared for rearing larvae of the pink bollworm. Contrary to most artificial insect diets containing agar, the pink bollworm diet is not left intact as poured, but is shredded into noodles approximately 5 mm wide and of varying thickness and length. Because of this special method of use, the agar acts more as a binding agent than it does a gelling agent as in other insect diets. As such, the requirements are more critical in terms of physical properties especially the strength of the gel (1.34% concentration) and the ability to retain moisture for a relatively long period of time. The agar supplied shall be the dried product of the water soluble extract of a species of Pterocladium, Gelidium or Gracilaria confervoides. Excessive moisture loss from the diet results in two problems. If the loss comes from moisture-holding capability of the agar, the nutrients in the diet become too concentrated and if the loss comes from excessive syneresis, the resultant free moisture creates an unhealthy habitat for the larvae. In the case of the pink bollworm, the artificial diet not only provides the larvae with essential nutrients for their development, but also provides their living space. The agar shall not inhibit growth or reproduction of Pink Bollworm and must conform to the specifications listed above. The product requested (Agar Powdered, USP, NF) shall meet the following minimum specifications: 1. The diet product of the water-soluble extract of Pterocladium, Gelidium or of Gracilaria confervoides. All material supplied under this contract shall be of the same type of seaweed and from the same geographical source. 2. Not contain more than 6.5% total ash, on a dry weight basis. 3. Not contain more than 0.5% acid--insoluble ash, on a dry weight basis. 4. The particle size shall be: More than 75% (by weight) shall pass through a #60 U.S. Standard Sieve. 5. Must not cause a 6% reduction for a period of seven continuous days in the yield of insects, size of insects, or reproductive potential (oviposition rate), nor affect the life cycle by an increase of 24 hours or more as determined by USDA bioassay after award of contract, i.e. no bioassay of the sample is done because of the length of time required. 6. Agar must have a gel strength of 1500 g pressure or more as determined with FMC agar gel testing machine, measurement is made as follows: a. Nine grams of agar are weighed and placed in a small flask. b. Six hundred fifty (650) milliliters of water is preheated to 140 degrees F in a stainless steel beaker. The beaker is then placed on a hot plate/stirrer which has been on high for 30 minutes. c. The stirrer bar is activated and the agar is slowly added in and mixed. d. When the mixture reaches boiling, a timer is set for five (5) minutes and the agar is kept at a rolling boil for the 5 minute period. At the end of the 5 minutes, it is removed from the heat and allowed to sit for one (1) minute. It is then poured into 50mm x 70mm crystallizing dishes. The first dish is partially filled in' order to remove as much foam from the cooked agar as possible. Three (3) additional dishes are then filled as full as possible. e. Samples are allowed to gel three (3) *hours at room temperature. f. A full dish of agar is set in the center of the platform of the electronic scale. The power is turned on and the scale tared to 0. The LED light is illuminated in order to maintain peak reading after the gel ruptures. The small plunger (10.9mm) and the blue spring (0 1500 grams tension) is used at high speed (18cm/minute). The down button is lowered which starts the synchronous motor which lowers the plunger at a constant rate. Once the plunger contacts the gel the increasing force is registered on the scale display. The highest measured force is when the gel ruptures, this reading will be maintained on the display until the LED light is turned off and the break force reading is recorded. g. All three (3) dishes are tested and the average break force reading is used for the final result. 7. The gel point shall be within 32 degrees to 45 degrees C. and the melting point shall be within 85 degrees to 89 degrees C. 8. Must readily dissolve in boiling water within 5 minutes. 9. Microbial content shall not exceed 10,000 micro-organisms per gram and must be free of other contaminants. 9. Agar must be packaged in the same type of container with respect to volume and shape, irrespective of the quantity. The agar must be packaged in a separate heavy polyethylene inner bag positioned in a fiberboard/cardboard drums. Each container shall be sound, clean, well sealed, and marked with product name, lot number, net weight;- contract number and name of Contractor. Inspection Inspection will take place within 3 working days from receipt of delivery, at the consignee's premises. Deliveries that are deemed not to be in compliance with the specifications are to be removed within 3 calendar days. Replacement agar shall be treated in accordance with FAR clause 52.212-4. Testing and Approval of Product Contractors wishing to submit an offer for this proposal need to submit a sample which needs to be shipped, separate from the actual proposal, to the PBWRF in, Phoenix, Arizona. Failure to submit a "Sample", or failure of the offerors' sample(s) to meet specifications, or submitting the actual offer (pricing) to the PBWRF in Phoenix, Arizona will render an offer non-responsive and ineligible for award. DO NOT INCLUDE PRICING (THE OFFER) WITH THE OFFEROR SAMPLE. A one (1) pound sample of agar must be received at the following location by the date and time specified for receipt of offers: USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility Attn: Eoin Davis 3645 E. Chipman Phoenix, Arizona 85040 In the event the sample differs in any way from the agar to be supplied to the PBWRF, the offeror is to state how the sample differs. Contractor shall furnish for each sample supplied, the species of algae (binomial scientific name), geographical source, and time of year the seaweed was collected. The sample will be evaluated within 14 days to determine compliance with the specifications. Agar must meet all parameters listed in technical critieria. If the sample fails the gel strength twice, further testing will be suspended. Products delivered under any resulting contract shall strictly' comply with the approved sample for gel strength and moisture retention. The agar shall not inhibit growth or reproduction of Pink Bollworm and must conform to the specifications listed above. The contractor may not substitute a different type or form of Agar unless this is approved prior by the government. In the event of multiple awards and the agar is purchased from more than one vendor, the vendor can provide the agar in one shipment or multiple shipments. If multiple shipments, the contractor can divide the agar into three equal parts and provide the agar according to the delivery dates above. Packaging and Marking No clauses are included in this section All the agar shipped, regardless of the number of shipments, must be packaged in the same type of container with respect to volume and shape, irrespective of the quantity. The agar must be packaged in a separate heavy polyethylene inner bag positioned in a fiberboard/cardboard drum. Each container shall be sound, clean, well sealed, and marked with product name, lot number, net weight, contract number, and name of Contractor. Inspection and Acceptance Inspection and testing of the agar lots delivered under this contract will take place within 5 working days from receipt of delivery, at the consignee's premises. Deliveries that are deemed not to be in compliance with the specifications are to be removed within 3 calendar days after notification from the USDA. Replacement agar shall be treated in accordance with FAR clause 52.212-4. Inspection and acceptance will be performed at: USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility Attn: Eoin Davis 3645 E. Chipman Phoenix, Arizona 85040 Special Contract Requirements Instructions for Submitting Samples Contractors wishing to submit an offer for this bid need to submit a sample which needs to be shipped, separate from the actual bid, to the PBWRF in, Phoenix, Arizona. Failure to submit a "Sample", or failure of the offerors' sample(s) to meet specifications, or submitting the actual offer (pricing) to the PBWRF in Phoenix, Arizona will render an offer non-responsive and ineligible for award. DO NOT INCLUDE PRICING (THE OFFER) WITH THE OFFEROR SAMPLE. A one (1) pound sample of agar must be received at the following location by the date and time specified for receipt of offers: USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine Pink Bollworm Rearing Facility Attn: Eoin Davis 3645 E. Chipman Phoenix, Arizona 85040 The selected Offeror must comply with the following commercial item terms and conditions, which are incorporated herein by reference: 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference. CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): https://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 2012) (a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items: 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (Feb 2009) (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)). ___Alternate I (Aug 2007) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)). 52.233-3, Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553). 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004) (Pub. L. 108-77, 108-78). (b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 253g and 10 U.S.C. 2402). 52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Dec 2010) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (JAN 2011) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a). 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Jan 2011) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)). 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Jan 2011) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)). 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages-Subcon-tracting Plan (Jan 1999) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F)(i)). 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Apr 2009) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)). 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755). 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jul 2010) (E.O. 13126). 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999). 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246). 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Sep 2010)(38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2010) (29 U.S.C. 793). 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (SEP 2010) (38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496). 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (AUG 2011) (E.O. 13513). 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (E.O.'s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury). 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration (Oct 2003) (31 U.S.C. 3332). 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JUNE 2008) 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (MAY 2011) 52.214-34 SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (APR 1991) 52.214-35 SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN U.S. CURRENCY (APR 1991) 52.216-27 SINGLE OR MULTIPLE AWARDS (OCT 1995) 52.212-2 EVALUATION-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 1999) 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 factors shall be used to evaluate offers in order of importance: 1. Technical Performance - Contractor shall furnish for each sample supplied, the species of algae (binomial scientific name), geographical source, and time of year the seaweed was collected. The sample will be evaluated within 14 days to determine compliance with the specifications. Agar must meet all parameters listed in technical critieria. 2. Delivery 3. Price Delivery and price are significantly less important than technical performance and Price is the least significant. A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. NAICS CODE IS 325414 - Biological Product Manufacturing For award under 424690 - Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/APHIS/Contracting/AG-6395-S-12-0021/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USDA/APHIS/PPQ/PBWRF, 3645 East Chipman Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85040, United States
- Zip Code: 85040
- Zip Code: 85040
- Record
- SN02665393-W 20120203/120201234518-16fce046f80b8410de45215c37566732 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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