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

B -- PRODUCE SHEEPSHEAD MINNOW GENE MICROARRAYS SOL XQ8351 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 XQ8351, 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 8731 which has a size standard of 500 employees 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 items. This procurement requires the contractor to Produce Sheepshead Minnow Gene Microarrays. In addition to the five Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) below, 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 five CLINs below, EA = Samples. CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 1. 50 EA -- Isolation, PCR amplification cloning, sequencing and Blast searching of Differential Display cDNA bands (see also Statement of Work -- Part 1). CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 2. 200 EA -- Prepare DNA from 50 CDNA bands and apply to nylon membranes (see also Statement of Work -- Part 2). CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 3. 60 EA -- Preparation of high quality poly A+ RNA and then 33P-labeled cDNAs from 60 fish livers provided by EPA (see also Statement of Work -- Part 3). CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 4. 90 EA -- Hybridization of membranes (of CLIN #2) with labeled cDNA probes (see also Statement of Work -- Part 4). CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN) 5. 90 EA -- Analyze samples in triplicate by phosphorimaging to evaluate relative binding efficiency (see also Statement of Work -- Part 5). Offerors must demonstrate expertise in the required procedures as part of the contract proposal. The contractor is also required to submit as a part of the contract proposal a copy of its company's Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan. The successful contractor must permit a QA audit of laboratory procedures by an authorized agent of the EPA any time during the conduct of this procurement. The contractor shall provide EPA with a price estimate on a per sample basis for each 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.) Provision of a copy of QA/QC protocols; 2.) Demonstration of previous experience with preparing nucleic acids, differential display technology and membrane hybridization. Offerors must demonstrate expertise in the required procedures as part of the contract proposal; 3.) Experience with similar size/scope projects; 4.) Ability to meet the deadlines for the project; and 5.) Plan to submit a final report (electronic format) as required; (ii) PAST PERFORMANCE -- provide 3 references (quality of product or service, timeliness of performance -- ability to adhere to deadlines, and overall customer satisfaction); and (iii) PRICE. Award will be made to the offeror whose offer is the lowest priced offer meeting all of the technical requirements. Offerors must satisfactorily meet all of the technical requirements to be considered "technically acceptable." 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 beforwarded 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 7, 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 05/18/00 (W-SN456434). (0139)

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