Compressed Specialty Gas - Raleigh, NC

Statement of Work (SOW)

To ensure a reliable supply of high-purity compressed gases and associated cylinders for scientific research, laboratory, greenhouse, and field operations.

• Furnish labor, materials, equipment, transportation, and supervision for compressed gas and cylinder rental/lease.

• Supply of various compressed gases (e.g., nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, argon, specialty mixtures).

• Rental or lease of gas cylinders, including high-pressure and liquid Dewars.

• Delivery and pick-up services to specified locations.

• Cylinder tracking, inventory management, and maintenance in compliance with safety regulations.

• Emergency support and troubleshooting.

• Deliveries within 1-2 business days of order.

• No cylinders overdue for recertification or leak testing.

• Emergency service calls responded to within 24 hours.

• Damaged/defective equipment replaced within 48 hours.

• Monthly or quarterly usage and demurrage reports required.

• Base Period: 05/01/2026 – 04/30/2027

• Four Option Periods extending through 04/30/2031.

• Performance locations include multiple sites at 3908 Inwood Road, 3127 Ligon Street, and various addresses at NCSU in Raleigh, NC.

• Gases must meet or exceed purity specifications requested by USDA-ARS.

• Cylinders must be clearly labeled and color-coded per regulations.

• Containers must be inspected, certified, and compliant with DOT, OSHA, and industry standards.

• Appropriate regulators or accessories to be included.

• Contractor personnel must comply with site-specific safety protocols and be trained/certified for handling compressed gases.

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

• Invoicing to be submitted monthly in IPP, itemizing charges for gas, rental, delivery, and demurrage.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Specialty Gas for the USDA ARS in Raleigh, NC. The government intends to make a single award.

• The core requirement is for specialty gas. Detailed specifications are provided in Attachment 1.

• Pricing must be submitted according to the structure in the "Statement of Requirement" and Attachment 2.

• Technical Acceptability requires a sound and compliant approach, demonstration of understanding, and meeting salient characteristics.

• Offerors must verify their location or their subcontractor's location is within a 200-mile radius of the delivery locations.

• The contract type is not explicitly stated but implies commercial products and services.

• The period of performance includes a base period and four option years.

• Delivery is requested F.O.B. Destination, with early deliveries accepted.

• Questions Deadline: April 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM CST via email to jennifer.busbea@usda.gov.

• Quote Submission: Via email only to jennifer.busbea@usda.gov in one document, with the subject line "Quote for 1232SA26Q0488." Due date and time are as indicated on SAM.gov.

• Offer Acceptance Period: Offerors must hold prices firm for 90 calendar days from the receipt of offers.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made on a best-value basis, using Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) criteria. This involves evaluating Price, Technical Acceptability, and Past Performance.

  • Price: Includes total quoted amount, discounts, and shipping.
  • Technical Acceptability: Rated "acceptable" or "unacceptable." Requires a compliant approach and specific documentation (Attachment 2, location verification, subcontractor agreement if applicable).
  • Past Performance: Evaluated as "Acceptable," "Neutral," or "Unacceptable" based on prior performance and available data (CPARS, etc.).

• The government will evaluate the lowest priced offer for Technical Acceptability and Past Performance. If unacceptable, the next lowest priced offer will be evaluated.

• Offerors must be located within a 200-mile radius of the delivery locations, or use subcontractors who meet this requirement.

• Various small business provisions and certifications may be applicable if checked.

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

• FAR/AGAR Clauses: Numerous FAR and AGAR clauses are incorporated by reference, including those related to commercial products/services, whistleblower rights, combating trafficking in persons, service contract labor standards, Buy American, and specific USDA clauses on Anti-Discrimination and DEI Compliance.

• Invoice Submission: Vendors must enroll in the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) at https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/index.htm and submit invoices electronically.

• Agency Protests: The USDA Ombudsman Program for Agency Protests (OPAP) is available for resolving concerns before or during formal protest filing.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a price schedule for various compressed and liquid gas tanks. It outlines the estimated annual quantities, unit costs, and total costs across a base year and four option years.

• Tank Descriptions: Includes a variety of gases such as CO2, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Industrial Grade Nitrogen, Compressed Gas mixes, Helium, Air, Breathing Air, Hydrogen, and Argon.
• Locations: Specifies delivery or service locations for the tanks (e.g., 150 Scott, 328 Shaub, 219 Schaub, 226 Schaub, 2574 Thomas, 3127 Ligon St, 3105 Williams Hall, 840 Oval Drive, 3908 Inwood Road).
• Quantities: Lists estimated annual quantities for each tank type.
• Unit Costs: Provides columns for Unit Cost for the Base Year (05/01/2026 - 04/30/2027) through Option Year 4 (05/01/2031 - 04/30/2032).
• Total Cylinders: The "Yearly Quote" sheet indicates a total of 165 cylinders.
• Annual Cost: All annual cost fields are currently listed as 0.0, suggesting pricing is to be filled in by the bidder.
• Seasonal Quote: A separate sheet, "Seasonal Quote," lists "Oxygen, OX 300" at 3908 Inwood Road with an estimated annual quantity of 45, also with blank unit cost fields.

Bidders are expected to review this price schedule and provide their unit costs for the specified gas tanks, quantities, and locations. This document is critical for developing a competitive proposal and understanding the expected pricing structure for the duration of the potential contract.