Compressed Gases

Amendment / Modification

• Extends the quote due date.

• Includes Questions & Answers (Q&A) as attachment 3.

• The solicitation's quote due date has been extended.

• Q&A (attachment 3) has been added.

• The proposal deadline has been extended. Bidders should refer to attachment 3 for Q&A.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides a clarification regarding the procurement of Nitrogen, liquid, Bulk (self-fill).

• Question: Clarification sought on whether the request is for the gas supplier to bring a liquid dewar to the site and fill a personally owned 50L dewar, and if samples will be present in the dewar.
• Answer: The requirement is for two tanks of High pressure (230 psi) with a capacity of 50-100L, to be refilled periodically. The gas needs to be pressurized to prevent rapid evaporation. The labs possess their own dewars, with an estimated annual usage of 330L.

This clarification provides specific details on the type, pressure, quantity, and refill frequency of the nitrogen required, which may impact how bidders prepare their proposals and technical approaches.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Compressed Gases for USDA ARS Madison Locations. The government intends to make one award for a firm-fixed-price contract with a base period and four option periods.

• The primary deliverable is compressed gas delivery.

• Product/Service Code: 8120

• Product/Service Description: COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL GAS CYLINDERS

• Delivery is based upon specification, and bidders must verify delivery locations with the POC prior to delivery.

• Technical Acceptability requires the offeror to demonstrate capability to meet requirements, including providing a completed Price Schedule, verifying offeror location within a 200-mile radius of delivery locations, and providing subcontractor documentation if applicable.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed-price.

• Period of Performance: Base year (04/30/2027) with four option years (04/30/2028, 04/30/2029, 04/30/2030, 04/30/2031).

• The total contract duration, including options, shall not exceed 5 years.

• Offerors must hold prices firm for 90 calendar days from the offer due date.

• Questions are due by March 23rd, 12:00 PM Mountain Time, via email to amber.sampson@usda.gov.

• Quotes must be submitted via email to amber.sampson@usda.gov with the subject line "Quote for 1232SA26Q0334".

• Quotes are due no later than the date and time indicated on sam.gov.

• Evaluation will be based on the lowest price technically acceptable criteria. The lowest priced offer will be evaluated first for Technical Acceptability and Past Performance.

• Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government.

• Pricing must be proposed for the full period of performance (base and four option years) to be considered responsive.

• The solicitation is listed as "UNRESTRICTED" with no specific set-aside indicated.

• Attachments referenced include: Attachment 1 – Specifications, and Attachment 2 – Price Schedule.

• The solicitation incorporates FAR clauses and provisions by reference, including those related to commercial products and services, and AGAR clauses related to Anti-Discrimination and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Compliance.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document outlines the requirements for the rental of compressed gases and associated cylinders for research, laboratory, greenhouse, and field operations at the USDA Madison Location. The objective is to ensure a reliable supply of high-purity gases in appropriate quantities, with necessary equipment and support services for safe and efficient use.

• Rental of gas cylinders and liquid dewars.

• Supply of specified high-purity gases (23 varieties including air, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and methane).

• Delivery to designated locations within three (3) working days of order placement, up to two times per week.

• Pickup of empty/used cylinders.

• Cylinder maintenance and safety inspections.

• Emergency services and technical support.

• Gases must meet or exceed specified purity levels (e.g., 99.995% for liquid nitrogen).

• Cylinders must meet all specified safety and regulatory standards (DOT, OSHA, ISO) and be in good working order.

• Provide Certificates of Analysis (COA) or Certificates of Conformance (COC) for each gas batch/cylinder.

• Provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all supplied gases.

• Maintain logs of all cylinder exchanges and track usage per location.

• Maintain an updated inventory of leased/rented cylinders.

• Provide monthly or quarterly usage and demurrage reports.

• This will be a firm-fixed-price contract.

• Period of Performance: Base Year (05-01-2026 to 04-30-2027) plus four option years (ending 04-30-2031).

• Not explicitly detailed in this document; likely found in a separate solicitation document.

• Not specified in this document.

• The USDA research locations are at various Federal facilities and University of Wisconsin research laboratories.

• Vendor must be located within 200 miles of delivery locations.

• Delivery locations include Marshfield and multiple sites in Madison, WI.

• Access to loading docks will be provided; admission to inside docks is restricted.

• Purity specifications for compressed gases are detailed in an attached spreadsheet.

• Liquid Dewar Specifications: Nitrogen, liquid bulk (self-fill) - High Pressure 230 psi, 50L size, 4 dewars, 99.995% purity.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a price schedule attachment for the opportunity. It outlines the specific types of compressed gases and associated quantities that may be required, along with a structure for unit costs over a base year and four option years.

• Items: A list of various compressed gases, including different grades and purities (e.g., Air, Argon, Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen).
• Type: Categorizes items as 'Compressed Gas Cylinder' or 'Dewar'.
• Estimated Annual Quantity: Specifies the anticipated number of units needed per year for each gas type.
• Pricing Structure: Provides columns for unit costs for the Base Year (05-01-2026 to 04-30-2027) and four Option Years (05-01-2027 to 04-30-2031).
• Totals: Includes rows for 'Base Year Total' and 'Annual Totals' across all years.

Bidders are expected to fill in the 'UNIT COST' fields for each gas type across the base and option years. The provided quantities are estimates, and bidders should price accordingly. The 'Annual Totals' and year-specific totals will likely be calculated based on the entered unit costs and estimated quantities.

This price schedule is critical for bidders to understand the potential cost structure of fulfilling the contract. It requires bidders to provide their pricing for specific gas products, which will be a key component in proposal evaluation. Bidders must carefully review the listed gases and quantities and provide competitive unit pricing.