SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- 17025 Laboratory Accreditation Services - Attachment One (1) - Contract Clauses
- Notice Date
- 2/1/2012
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- 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-12-0025
- Archive Date
- 2/28/2012
- Point of Contact
- Corinne Nygren, Phone: 6123363235
- E-Mail Address
-
corinne.m.nygren@aphis.usda.gov
(corinne.m.nygren@aphis.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Attachment One (1) - Contract Clauses (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This acquisition is being conducted in accordance with FAR 12 procedures for commercial items in conjunction with FAR part 15. (ii) This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (iii) This combined synopsis/solicitation will result in a firm fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity commercial services contract. Although the contract can be used by all four AMS food laboratories, the statement of work below is specifically written for the laboratory in Gastonia, NC. (iv) This combined synopsis/solicitation Request for Quote is being issued as a full and open competition. (v) This requirement is for the National Science Laboratory (NSL), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Science & Technology Laboratory Division (S&T-LD). The laboratory performs chemical, proximate, microbiological and bio-molecular testing of agricultural products for the agricultural community. These services include pesticide residue analysis, pathogen testing, testing for adulteration in domestic and imported products within a variety of matrices. In an effort to provide the highest possible quality and demonstrate recognition of its marketable testing services, the laboratory has a need to secure accreditation against the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard and AOAC International "Guidelines for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food and Pharmaceuticals". Accreditation to the standards means global recognition for implementing a single, overarching management (quality) system and seamless audit system that conforms to the requirements of a recognized standard. Accreditation must be renewed periodically through review, surveillance or assessment in order for the laboratory to maintain recognition of that system. Recognition typically appears in the form of a certificate from the accreditation body. (vi) REQUIREMENT AND QUANTITIES: The offeror shall provide a price for line items 001 - 003 for each contract year, considering a sequence where assessments or surveillance occur alternatingly with annual accreditation fees within twelve month periods of a two year cycle. All overhead and ancillary costs associated with the requirement will be assumed by the Contractor, and should be factored into the quote. CLIN 001 - Accreditation Fee for each field. The offeror shall provide the annual accreditation fee for each field. CLIN 002 - Assessor Labor rates. The offeror must include the estimated labor hours in their quote based on the scope of the accreditation requested in this request for quote. CLIN 003 - Travel Costs. Travel to the laboratory may be required under this contract. Travel costs are a reimbursable line item and will be reimbursed based on actual costs. All travel will be within the continental United States. All travel costs associated with this requirement must be approved in writing by the agency personnel and the contracting officer, prior to commencing any travel under this project. Actual travel costs will be reimbursed at the rates provided in the Federal Travel or Joint Federal Travel Regulations. Travel must be in accordance with Federal Government Travel Regulations and all costs shall be subject to the restrictions of the Federal Travel Regulations. Please refer to the following websites for details on the travel regulations and the domestic travel per diem rates: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21222 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287 CLIN 004 - AMS optional laboratory locations for all contract years. See part (vii). (vii) The USDA, APHIS reserves the right to add additional AMS-S&T, Laboratory Division laboratory locations to this contract if the need arises. Although the current quantities and scope only reflect the laboratory in Gastonia, NC there is a possibility other laboratories will be added which could include locations in Georgia, Virginia and Florida. If these locations are added the dollar value of the contract could increase greatly. Any change to this contract to add these locations would be done via a bilateral modification exercising optional line item 004. (viii) The effective period of the contract is from date of award through twelve months with the options to extend the contract for four (4) additional years. The accreditation services for the base year must begin no later than March 1, 2012. The Gastonia, NC NSL's current accreditation expires 06/30/2012 therefore assessment for renewal of accreditation must occur prior to that date. A renewal assessment includes an ‘on-site' and external examination of the laboratory. Occasionally there may be a need to update the laboratory's scope and/or certificate of accreditation during the two-year accreditation period (e.g. scope expansion, name change, contacts change, etc.). Whether updates or amendments require ‘on-site' visits will depend upon the proposed changes to the laboratory's scope and/or certificate of accreditation. The date/time and length of visits will be mutually agreed upon by the laboratory and accreditation body based upon the laboratory's preparedness and ability to comply with the accreditation requirements and the relevant conditions of accreditation. (ix) STATEMENT OF WORK: The National Science Laboratory (NSL) in Gastonia, NC requires conformity assessment services for the purpose of preserving its accreditation status. Currently it is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard and AOAC International, "Guidelines for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food and Pharmaceuticals", with a scope that includes 15 analytical test methods, as follows: one (1) biomolecular test method, one (1) chemical test method, and thirteen (13) microbiological test methods. During the course of this renewal the laboratory would like to revise its scope with regard to a more ‘flexible scope' option recognizing its use of standard test methods prepared by national, international, or professional standards writing bodies, and its in-house developed non-standard methods. NOTE: Information regarding the laboratories current scope of accreditation may be found by searching http://www.a2la.org for certificate numbers 2970.01 or 2970.02. The requirements for accreditation shall be established by the laboratory's application for accreditation to the standards and the accrediting body's conditions for accreditation. The accreditation body shall verify compliance with the requirements and conditions for accreditation, i.e. ISO/IEC 17025 standard and AOAC International, Guidelines for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food and Pharmaceuticals. This will require the examination of documentation, records and personnel (including provisions for access to all calibration and testing areas, equipment, arrangements for witnessing accredited activities when requested and practicable) for the purpose of assessment, re-assessment, resolution of complaints, and fulfillment of customer requirements. Verification examination will likely occur both ‘on-site' and externally to the laboratory's facilities. NOTE: Documentation verified includes, where applicable, those which provide insight into the level of independence of the laboratory from any other related activities undertaken by its organization. The laboratory shall also demonstrate to the accreditation body's satisfaction that it is not using its accreditation (e.g. testing certificate or report) in such a manner as to bring the accreditation body into dispute or make any statement relevant to its accreditation which is considered misleading or unauthorized. Lastly, it shall verify that the laboratory carries out, within a reasonable time, any adjustments to its management (quality) system in response to due notice of any deficiencies in complying with the requirements or conditions of accreditation; or changes to the criteria, requirements, or conditions for accreditation. The accreditation body selected must be a U.S. Signatory to a multilateral recognition arrangement (MRA) with The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). This is due to the necessity for recognition amongst the accrediting bodies. Additional information can be found on the following website: Link: http://www.standardsportal.org/usa_en/resources/USaccreditation_bodies.aspxUSAuthoritative Bodies Several international agreements, arrangements, and schemes establish networks of internationally recognized, accredited conformity assessment bodies; however ILAC is the authority for national and international accreditation bodies' and evaluates for compliance with criteria specified in the international standard ISO/IEC 17011. For more information on ILAC please visit the following website: Link: http://www.ilac.org/ (x) The contract will allow for use of the government purchase card for payments under this contract. (xi) The provisions and clauses incorporated into this solicitation document are incorporated by reference and are those in effect at the time of publication. Provisions and clauses incorporated by reference have the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. The full text of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses can be accessed on the Internet at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/. (xii) The provision at 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial applies to this solicitation. (xiii) The provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items applies to this solicitation. The contractor shall either complete the on-line Offeror Representations and Certifications or return a completed copy of the Offeror Representations and Certifications with their quotation. The Online Reps and Certs Application Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) can be found at https://orca.bpn.gov/., or a hard copy of the provision may be attained from https://www.acquisition.gov/far/. (xiv) The contract clauses for this contract are listed in Attachment One (1) entitled "Contract Clauses". (xv) EVALUATION OF OFFERS: Award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to this combined synopsis/solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Offers will be evaluated based on technical capability, past performance and price. A trade off process will be used to evaluate quotes. Technical capability and past performance are more important than price. The Government will select the offer that best meets the government's needs and is most advantageous to the Government. The following will be considered when evaluating offers for technical capability and past performance: Technical capability of the service to meet the agency's need and the demonstrated ability to perform the work requested in the SOW which includes the offeror's knowledge of federal government regulations and restrictions related to a food safety laboratory, their demonstrated ability to perform an assessment of a federal government food laboratory with a similar scope to the National Science Laboratory (NSL), and their demonstrated ability to assess ‘flexible' testing scopes. Past performance will include the offeror's prior experience performing assessments of federal and state government laboratories, experience performing assessments against the AOAC International "Guidelines for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food and Pharmaceuticals", as well as a measure of the degree to which an offeror has satisfied customers in the past, and complied with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The assessment will consider the firm's record of conforming to specifications and to standards of good workmanship / customer service, and adherence to contract schedules, terms and conditions, and providing prompt and accurate service. In accordance with FAR 52.212-1 (b) (10) regarding past performance, references are requested. Each offeror must submit references which are either current or recent customers. Please provide the name, address, phone number, fax and email for each reference. (xvi) Quotations are due to the Minneapolis Contracting Office by 10:00 AM Central Time, February 13, 2012. Please reference the quote number on your documents. Quotes may be submitted via email, by postal mail or by facsimile. (xvii) The assigned Contracting Officer is Ms. Corinne Nygren. Ms. Nygren may be reached at Corinne.nygren@aphis.usda.gov, by phone at (612) 336-3235 or by fax at (612) 336-3550. (xviii) Quotes should be of sufficient detail to determine their adequacy. If an offeror's quote does not contain all of the items listed above, the quote may be considered incomplete for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to the offerors quote, thereby making an offeror ineligible for award. As a minimum, offerors must submit the following to the Contract Specialist to be considered responsive and have a complete quote: 1) Pricing Schedule - a price for line items 001 - 003. 2) Signature of the offeror on the page which lists the price. 3) The required documentation requested above in section (xv) EVALUATION OF OFFERS, which includes past performance references and a narrative of your company which addresses how your company's service meets the technical capability. 4) A completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items OR confirmation that this has been completed on-line.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/APHIS/Contracting/AG-6395-S-12-0025/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite B, Gastonia, North Carolina, 28054, United States
- Zip Code: 28054
- Zip Code: 28054
- Record
- SN02665854-W 20120203/120201235056-09bbebc540c5a573cc6581080f1a803b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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