Annual Maintenance and Service Coverage for multiple Qiagen QIAcube Connect Instruments in support of USDA-PWA-ALARC

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Wage Determination (WD) issued under the Service Contract Act (SCA). It establishes the minimum wage rates and fringe benefits that must be paid to various occupational classifications of service employees performing work on covered federal contracts in specific geographic areas.

• Geographic Area: Arizona Counties of Maricopa and Pinal.
• Occupational Classifications: Lists numerous job titles (e.g., "Accounting Clerk I", "Automotive Worker", "Registered Nurse I", "Air Traffic Control Specialist") with corresponding minimum hourly wage rates.
• Fringe Benefits: Indicates that fringe benefits are required and follow the occupational listing. Specific health and welfare rates are provided ($5.55 per hour or $5.09 per hour under EO 13706).
• Executive Orders: Notes the applicability of Executive Order (EO) 13706 (Paid Sick Leave) and EO 13658 (Minimum Wage).
• Conformance Process: Outlines the procedure for contractors to request additional classifications and wage rates if a required occupation is not listed.

This wage determination is crucial for bidders to accurately calculate labor costs for their proposals. Bidders must ensure that their proposed wages and benefits meet or exceed the minimums specified in this document for all service employees working on the contract. Failure to comply can result in violations and retroactive payments.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a "Decision to Restrict Competition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold" for the United States Department of Agriculture. It outlines the justification for restricting competition for an acquisition related to maintenance services for Qiagen QIAcube Connect instruments.

This document is relevant to potential bidders as it explains why the government intends to restrict competition for this acquisition. It details that the Arid Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ, relies on five specialized Qiagen QIAcube Connect instruments for critical research tasks (DNA and RNA extraction from insect samples). Due to the instruments' complex design and critical function, annual maintenance and repair by a certified technician authorized by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is deemed necessary to prevent mechanical failures, ensure data integrity, and maintain optimal functionality. The document states that only the OEM or its authorized representatives possess the necessary proprietary tools, firmware updates, and genuine parts to meet these requirements without introducing risks such as performance degradation, compromised data integrity, or invalidated warranties. A combined Synopsis/Solicitation will be posted on SAM.gov.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To define the required annual maintenance schedule and repair coverage for five Qiagen QIAcube Connect instruments used for DNA and RNA extraction from insect samples at the US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ. The goal is to prevent mechanical failures and reduce repair costs.

• Provide annual maintenance for the following instruments:

  • QIAcube Connect MDx, Serial Number 30047 (2021)
  • QIAcube Connect, Serial Number 2434 (2021)
  • QIAcube Connect, Serial Number 2500 (2021)
  • QIAcube Connect, Serial Number 3428 (2023)
  • QIAcube Connect, Serial Number 3455 (2023)

• Cover all costs associated with maintenance, repair parts, and labor.

• Provide optional on-site repair service within ten business days when an instrument requires restoration.

• Conduct a pre-agreement inspection on older units to confirm qualification for a service agreement.

• All work must be performed by a Qiagen-specialized technician, preferably a Qiagen employee.

• On-site inspection and maintenance to be performed once a year for each instrument.

• Repair service to be completed within ten business days.

• The work will be performed on-site at the US ALARC in Maricopa, AZ.

• The contractor will provide the dates of the coverage period upon contract award.

• Contractor is responsible for all travel expenses.

• The government will not provide any equipment or services.

• No reporting is required beyond the deliverables listed.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Annual Maintenance and Service Coverage for multiple Qiagen QIAcube Connect Instruments located at the USDA Arid Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ. The objective is to ensure the instruments are maintained to avoid mechanical failures and repairs.

• Annual maintenance and service coverage for five Qiagen QIAcube Connect instruments.

• The service includes annual maintenance and service coverage.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed price requirements contract.

• Period of Performance: One (1) one-year base period and four (4) one-year option periods. The total contract duration shall not exceed five (5) years.

• Base Year Period of Performance: 05/22/2026 to 05/21/2027.

• Option Year One Period of Performance: 05/22/2027 to 05/21/2028.

• Option Year Two Period of Performance: 05/22/2027 to 05/21/2028.

• Option Year Three Period of Performance: 05/22/2028 to 05/21/2029.

• Option Year Four Period of Performance: 05/22/2029 to 05/21/2030.

• Optional six-month extension Period of Performance: 05/22/2030 to 05/21/2031.

• An additional period of performance is listed from 05/22/2031 to 12/22/2031.

• Offer Due Date: 05/20/2026 at 1200 ET.

• Quotes must be submitted electronically via email to jacob.toft@usda.gov in Adobe PDF format.

• Questions are due by May 15, 2025, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

• Evaluation Criteria: Lowest price technically acceptable.

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

• Technical Acceptability: Evaluated for "acceptable" or "unacceptable" based on the offeror's ability to meet requirements and demonstrate understanding.

• Past Performance: Evaluated using a rating system of Acceptable, Neutral, or Unacceptable.

• Offerors must provide proof of certified technicians authorized to work on Qiagen equipment.

• Offerors must provide a detailed explanation of their ability to perform the required services.

• Quotations must be held firm for 90 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers.

• The acquisition is unrestricted.

• NAICS Code: 811210, Size Standard: $34 Million.

• Attachment 1 – Statement of Work, Attachment 2 – J&A for Under SAT, and Attachment 3 – WD 2015-5469 Rev 30 are included.

• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a tax-exempt agency.

• The solicitation incorporates numerous FAR and AGAR clauses by reference.