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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. Solicitation number 12505B23Q0033 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2022-08. The associated NAICS code is 811210 - Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance, with a small business size standard of $30 Million and the PSC code is J066. This solicitation is issued as unrestricted (“Full and Open”).

The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following service:

001) Preventive and Emergency Maintenance Service for a Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager

Scope of Work:

The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS) Midwest Area (MWA) Administrative Office’s Acquisitions & Personal Property/Fleet Team on behalf of the USDA-ARS National Animal Disease Center’s (NADC) in Ames, IA is requesting quotes for a preventive and emergency maintenance service agreement for a Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager (SN: 7094).

Contractor will provide factory trained engineers to perform one (1) preventive maintenance on site service visits and unlimited emergency visits on the Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager located at 1920 Dayton Avenue in Ames, IA.

Covered components will include:

1. Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager – SN: 7094


2. Software coverage for AT2 with eSlide Manager Devise License, Genie, Barcode License, Whole Cell Quantification, Area Quantification


3. All OEM replacement parts.


4. All labor and travel expenses.


5. Annual Preventative Maintenance

Background:

Preventive maintenance has been procured for this instrument since it was purchased to ensure continued & reliable operation in support of the USDA-ARS-NADC research mission.

Technical Requirements:

Service tasks include, but are not limited to:

1. Preventative Maintenance Inspections to be performed during a 12-month period


2. Software Revisions released during the agreement term


3. Software coverage for AT2 with eSlide Manager Devise License, Genie, Barcode License, Whole Cell Quantification, Area Quantification


4. Unlimited service visits, Monday –Friday, excluding holidays


5. Labor, travel and replacement parts are included in service


6. Unlimited telephone support for instrument, reagents, applications


7. 48 hour guaranteed response to a request for emergency on-site service


8. On-Site Repairs by certified original equipment manufacturer (OEM)


9. All repairs done with OEM Parts


10. Maintenance done in accordance with OEM specifications

Contractor will provide telephone support and unlimited emergency visits to the customer location.

Repair parts are to be included unless otherwise stated in this statement of work.

Government-furnished support is limited to security access to the equipment in the NCAUR facility, replacement parts not otherwise covered under this agreement, AC power (110VAC) and standard office lighting.

Key Personnel:

Only factory trained engineers are to perform any service procedure on the Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager.

Travel:

One (1) preventive maintenance service visit will be provided by the contractor. All service visits will be coordinated with the Processor Operator at NADC.

Security Requirements:

A copy of an official government photo ID (State-issued driver’s license or ID card, passport, green card, etc.) must be provided no later than one week before arrival of contract service technician(s) except in the case of emergency service, were only the name of the technician provided via email or telephone will be necessary. Security access to the NADC facility will be provided based on this identification requirement.

Key Deliverables:

Base Year:

• Preventive Maintenance: Evaluate the instrument and provide preventative maintenance kit. Routine inspection, cleaning, alignment/calibration, lubrication and repair of covered OEM components including OEM lasers. Once annually coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.


• Emergency Maintenance: Emergency repair of defective components to bring the unit back on-line. As necessary – coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.

Option Year 1:

• Preventive Maintenance: Routine inspection, cleaning, alignment/calibration and repair of covered components. Once annually coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.


• Emergency Maintenance: Emergency repair of defective components to bring the unit back on-line. As necessary – coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.

Option Year 2:

• Preventive Maintenance: Routine inspection, cleaning, alignment/calibration and repair of covered components. Once annually coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.


• Emergency Maintenance: Emergency repair of defective components to bring the unit back on-line. As necessary – coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.

Option Year 3:

• Preventive Maintenance: Routine inspection, cleaning, alignment/calibration and repair of covered components. Once annually coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.


• Emergency Maintenance: Emergency repair of defective components to bring the unit back on-line. As necessary – coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.

Option Year 4:

• Preventive Maintenance: Routine inspection, cleaning, alignment/calibration and repair of covered components. Once annually coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.


• Emergency Maintenance: Emergency repair of defective components to bring the unit back on-line. As necessary – coordinated through the Leica AT2 Operator.

Place of Performance:

The USDA-NADC located at 1920 Dayton Avenue, Ames, IA 50010.

Period of Performance:

The intent is to award a contract with a Base Year plus four (4) individually priced Option Years:

Base Year – 02/15/2023 - 02/14/2024

Option Year 1 – 02/15/2024 - 02/14/2025

Option Year 2 – 02/15/2025 - 02/14/2026

Option Year 3 – 02/15/2026 - 02/14/2027

Option Year 4 – 02/15/2027 - 02/14/2028

Award will be made for a 1-year period with four optional 1-year annual renewal periods. Renewal decisions will be made two months (60 days) prior to the potential renewal date. The decision to renew will be at the sole discretion of the USDA.

Evaluation Factors:

Pursuant to FAR 52.212-2, the criteria for evaluation and basis for award will be Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA). Technical acceptable is define as meeting ALL of the technical requirements identified on the Statement of Work and reiterated in the solicitation description. The Government intends to make one Firm-Fixed Price award with a bases and four (4) option years based on the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) quote received. "LPTA" means the best value is expected to result from selection of the technically acceptable quote with the lowest evaluated price. The lowest priced quote will be evaluated first; if NOT found technically acceptable, the next lowest priced quote will be evaluated, and so on until a technically acceptable quote is identified. The government will NOT review higher priced quotes if the lowest (or a lower) priced quote is determined to be technically acceptable.

Submitting a Quote:

Failure to demonstrate compliance with ALL instructions presented herein will constitute sufficient cause to reject a quote without further discussions. All responsible sources may submit a quote which will be put into considered for award.

Vendors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote in accordance with FAR 52.212-1. The applicable FAR clauses and provisions for this acquisition are included in the attachments to this solicitation. The Government anticipates making one Firm-Fixed Price award with a bases and four (4) option years.

Vendors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote along with all other requested and required documentation (such as completed FAR clauses and provisions and a Quality Assurance Plan) to be included as part of ALL offeror’s responses. The quote should include any and all fees, charges, and/or surcharges. This will be a tax-exempt purchase.

Award will be made on the acquisition as a whole (NOT per line item). As such, be certain you can provide ALL of the required services. If any line items are NOT quoted on then the offeror will be disqualified from consideration for award. If a line item will be provided at NO extra charge, please enter it as a $0.00-dollar amount. Also, if the value of any line item(s) is included in the value of one or more-line items, please specify which line items are included under a single price.

The solicitation attachments include FAR clauses, a Statement of Work (SOW), a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), and FAR provisions. Be sure to read and review ALL of the attachments and to complete any and ALL additional documentation required as part of your quote submission. Of critical importance is to review the SOW as it contains the requirements for this acquisition.

In addition, all submissions should include the FAR clauses and provisions completed in their entirety. The FAR clauses and provisions constitute the terms and conditions for submitting a quote in response to this solicitation as well as the terms and conditions of the anticipated award. The FAR provisions apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes. The FAR clauses apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes as well as to the resulting award. The FAR clauses will be included as part of the resulting award. Please review ALL of the FAR clauses and provisions and be certain to complete all of the FAR clauses and provisions that require the offerors impute (i.e. all boxes are checked and all blanks are filled in).

All offerors responding to this announcement are also to provide a written Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) in response to the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provided in the attachments. Please read the QASP as well as the SOW and solicitation description and put together a written QAP outlining and detailing how you will meet the service requirements specified in the QASP, SOW, and solicitation description. Include the completed QAP as an attachment to your quote submission.

Please ensure your quote will be current and that the price quoted will NOT expire for a minimum of 30 days.

To be eligible to be put into consideration for award, ALL vendors who respond to this solicitation must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration at the time their quote is submitted. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is required in order to register. Vendors must also include their UEI# on their quote.

The submission and payment of invoices on the resulting award will be made through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). As such, vendors must be currently registered or register in IPP in order to be able to submit and receive payment on invoices for the resulting award. Invoices to be billed quarterly in arrears. NOTE: Prepayment is NOT permitted. Service must be rendered BEFORE an invoice can be submitted in IPP and approved for payment. Invoices submitted prior to service performance will be rejected. Invoices can be resubmitted once service has been provided.

Only electronic submissions made via email will be accepted (NO verbal quotes made by phone call, quotes submitted by USPS mail, or quotes submitted in the body of an email). Please email all quotes in writing along with completed FAR clauses and provisions, a QAP, and ALL other requested and required documentation to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by NO later than Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 5:00 PM Central Time (CT).

NOTE: Be absolutely certain to reference the RFQ number “12505B23Q0033” and/or title of the solicitation “Preventive and Emergency Maintenance Service Agreement for a Leica Aperio AT2 Whole Slide Imager” in the subject, body, and/or attachments on your quote submission email to ensure your submission can be located and attributed to this solicitation. Failure to do so could potentially result in your submission being deemed “unresponsive” and as a result your quote may NOT be put into consideration for award (as your quote may NOT be located when searching the recipients email to ensure all responses to the solicitation have been logged before making an award determination).

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