Amendment 001: The purpose of this amendment is to provide answers to contractor questions. Please see the attached Question and Answer document. All other terms of the solicitation remain unchanged. The quotation deadline remains August 28, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET.
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Request for Quotations
Multi-Laser Metals-Based Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing System
RFQ No. NIST-RFQ-24-7301490
This is a Combined Synopsis / Solicitation for Commercial Items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 – Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation of Commercial Items – as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The solicitation is issued using simplified acquisition procedures under the authority of FAR Part 13.5.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT (i.e. STANDARD FORM) WILL NOT BE ISSUED.
This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-05 dated May 22, 2024.
The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services. The small business size standard is 1,000 employees. This is an unrestricted competition. Both small and other than small businesses under the applicable NAICS code are eligible to respond.
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENTS
Background
Additive manufacturing refers to a class of emerging manufacturing technologies for producing highly-complex, customized components by joining materials to make objects based on three-dimensional (3D) model data, typically built layer upon layer. Parts are fabricated directly from a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) file that is virtually sliced into many thin layers and sent to an additive manufacturing (AM) system where each layer is incrementally formed. Several AM processes and systems have been developed over the past two decades and their capabilities have grown significantly. Generally, metal-based additive processes form parts by melting or sintering material in powder form until all layers are completed.
Additive manufacturing is capable of manufacturing parts that are not possible to make with conventional machining. For example, additively manufactured parts can be fabricated to have highly complex geometries, engineered porosity, and lattice structures. Complex geometries allow components to be designed and built as one part, as opposed to being incorporated in an assembly. Engineered porosity is popularly used in medical or biological applications, because the porous structure promotes osseointegration, the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of an implant. Lattice structures are popular due to their high strength-to-weight ratios. Another advantage of additive manufacturing is that parts are directly produced from a digital 3D model of the part. This makes the process well suited for the quick manufacture of customized parts. High throughput additive manufacturing builds on these principles with additional considerations such as faster processing times, increased automation, and more streamlined processes achieved through advances in areas such as processing technology, sensor-based process monitoring capabilities, and process modeling and simulation capabilities.
Purpose
The purpose of this requirement is to procure one (1) multi-laser powder bed fusion system to be used for the study of high mix/ low volume, high throughput additive manufacturing of metal parts.
Scope of Work & Specific Requirements
Please see the attached Requirements Document for details.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The overall period of performance is one year from date of award. Delivery is required within four (4) months after contractor receipt of order. Installation is required within 30 days after delivery and Training is required within 30 days after installation. A preventative maintenance visit is required six (6) months after installation.
DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION
The primary place of performance shall be the Contractor’s site as this is primarily a product purchase. Installation, training, and preventative maintenance shall be performed at the NIST site in Gaithersburg, MD.
CONTRACT TYPE & PAYMENT TERMS
A firm fixed price purchase order is anticipated. Payment will be made on a NET30 basis using milestone payments following inspection and acceptance of individual deliverables.
APPLICABLE PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES
Please see the attached document for applicable provisions and clauses.
QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD
CAR 1352.215-73 INQUIRIES (APR 2010):
Quoters must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing electronically to Ms. Lauren Roller, Contract Specialist, at lauren.roller@nist.gov. Questions must be received by or before August 21, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (End of Provision).
DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS
All quotations must be submitted via email to Ms. Lauren Roller, Contract Specialist, at Lauren.Roller@nist.gov. Submission must be received not later than August 28, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET.
Note: Quoters must have an “Active” registration at www.SAM.gov at time of quote submission to be considered for award. “ID Assigned” registration is not acceptable.
INSTRUCTIONS TO QUOTERS (Addendum to FAR 52.212-1)
The Quoter’s quotation shall be submitted electronically via email and shall consist of two volumes as detailed below. Each quotation volume shall include the Quoter’s name, UEI number, and point of contact information in a cover page, header/footer, or other easily identified location. The Contracting Officer intends to award a purchase order without discussions but reserves the right to enter into discussions if in the best interest of the Government.
Volume 1: Technical Response
This volume shall contain the Quoter’s technical response. The technical response (not including table of contents, figures, or past performance information) shall not exceed ten (10) single-spaced, single-sided pages. Text shall be no less than 12-point font in Microsoft Word or searchable Adobe PDF format.
The technical response shall include the name, title, phone number, and email address of the Quoter’s primary point of contact and the individual authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Quoter (if negotiations are determined to be necessary).
The technical response shall include:
- A description of the proposed system specifications and capabilities as it relates to the requirements identified in the Requirements Document, including the warranty and maintenance requirements. The response shall also include a description of the proposed installation, training, and preventative maintenance services associated with the requirement.
- A statement, at a minimum, about the proposed delivery timeframe and schedule for installation, training, and preventative maintenance performance.
- Demonstrated prior experience information for at least one and up to three prior experiences, to include:
- A brief description of the scope (60 words or less)
- Contract/task order/agreement number
- Period of performance
- Contract Value
- Customer Name
- Role as prime contractor or subcontractor
- Reference information, including name, email, phone number, of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), Program Manager (PM) or equivalent individual (not the Contracting Officer) for the experience submission.
Prior experience shall be from within the last three years and may be federal or non-federal. The Government may contact the Reference points of contact to confirm the level and quality of demonstrated prior experience submissions. In addition, the Government reserves the right to review any information contained within the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) or any other Government system, source, or individual.
- Completed provision responses, from the provisions attached to this solicitation. Provisions requiring response are highlighted in yellow.
- A list of assumptions and/or exceptions made in preparing the quotation.
Volume 2: Price Quotation and Small Business Subcontracting Plan
This volume shall contain the Quoter’s price quotation in Microsoft Excel format or in searchable PDF format. All figures must be rounded to the nearest hundredth.
Price Quotation:
Price quotations shall be submitted on a firm fixed price basis in accordance with the contract line item numbering structure provided in this solicitation. Quotations shall be valid for 60 days after solicitation close.
Price quotations shall include unit pricing and total cost, inclusive of the required commercial product, shipping and delivery, installation, training, warranty and preventative maintenance service.
To assist the Government in evaluating firm fixed price quotations, the Quoter shall provide a breakdown of the proposed fixed price by item quoted and shall separate delivery and installation pricing from the rest of the quote.
Quoters shall also include a proposed fixed price payment schedule based on requirement milestones/deliverables in relation to the deliverables table in the PWS.
Small Business Subcontracting Plan:
Other Than Small Business quoters shall submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Plan). The plan must reflect subcontracting goals as a percentage of the total value of the proposed pricing. The maximum practical subcontracting goals should be proposed along with a rationale for the goals presented. Other Than Small Business quoters shall submit their Subcontracting Plan using the attached template. Quoters are encouraged to break out the percentages further to socioeconomic status goals.
Small business quoters are not required to submit a small business subcontracting plan.
CONTRACT LINE ITEM STRUCTURE:
The line item structure for this requirement shall be as follows:
CLIN 0001: Multi-Laser Metals-Based Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing System in accordance with the attached Requirements Document (Firm Fixed Price)
CLIN 0002: Product Installation
CLIN 0003: Product Training
CLIN 0004: Maintenance Support
EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD (Addendum to FAR 52.212-2)
The Government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Quoter whose Quotation, conforming to the solicitation, offers best value to the Government.
Upon receipt of Quotations, the Contracting Officer will review them to determine if each Quoter followed all of the Quotation preparation/submission instructions in this solicitation. A Quotation that did not follow the Quotation submission instructions to an extent that the Government cannot properly evaluate the Quotation in accordance with the stated evaluation factors may be deemed unacceptable and may not be further evaluated.
The Government intends to evaluate quotations using the trade-off method. The factors below, listed in descending order of importance will be used to determine best value. Non-price factors, when combined, are more important than price.
- Technical Capability: Quotations will be evaluated for the degree to which they meet or exceed requirements, and for the degree of anticipated success of the methods proposed for meeting or exceeding requirements. If all requirements are met, exceeding requirements may be viewed further favorably.
- Demonstrated Prior Experience: The evaluation of demonstrated prior experience will consider the extent to which the Quoter’s prior experience for work completed or substantially completed within the last three years demonstrates the capability and capacity to provide a system with installation, training, and maintenance similar in scope to the current requirement.
- Delivery Schedule: Quotations will be evaluated for the degree to which they address the schedule requirements as identified in the required specifications document. Faster delivery, installation, and training will be evaluated more favorably than meeting the minimum schedule requirements. Quotes that do not specifically address schedule may be evaluated as unacceptable for this criterion.
- Price: Quoted pricing will be evaluated but not scored. Price evaluation will determine whether the quoted price is fair and reasonable in relation to the solicitation requirements.
Note: Other than Small Business Offeror’s small business subcontracting plans are not rated and are not included in the above-stated evaluation criteria. Rather, the Contracting Officer will evaluate the proposed plan for adherence to the requirements identified in FAR 52.219-9(d).
The Contracting Officer intends to award without discussions but reserves the right to initiate discussions if necessary. The Contracting Officers reserves the right to hold discussions with only the highest-rated quoters if in the best interests of the Government. The Contracting Officer also reserves the right to hold discussions with only the apparent successful quoter regarding the proposed Small Business Subcontracting Plan, if a Small Business Subcontracting Plan is applicable to that quotation.
