(2) Amended to include additional facility locations (April 9).

(1) Amended to include information from the Q&A Session (March 28).

This a Request for Quotations (RFQ) to establish multiple 5-year Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) for Hazardous Waste and Special Waste Collection and Disposal at USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) facilities located throughout the United States and outlying territories. This RFQ is issued as full and open (no set-aside used) under NAICS code 562112, Hazardous Waste Collection, with a Size Standard of $47 Million in annual sales. Other Than Small Businesses are encouraged to submit a quote, which must include a Subcontracting Plan.

The USDA intends to establish multiple BPAs to ensure competition and service coverage for all geographic areas. After award of the BPAs, RFQs for hazardous waste disposal services for APHIS or AMS will be sent to BPA holders as removal requests are received from the facilities. Each RFQ will be competed between those BPA holders which include the facility requesting removal in their designated service area. The total estimated need over five (5) years is $2,000,000. Each order will be awarded to the lowest price quote that is determined to be technically acceptable (addresses all items listed in the RFQ). There is no minimum guaranteed amount in either dollars or number of orders.

NOTE: Price reasonableness will be evaluated at the BPA call order level, and fair opportunity will be provided to each BPA holder in each applicable geographical area on an order-level basis.

All relevant documents (requirements, locations, materials for removal, terms and conditions, etc.) are included as attachments to this notice. Interested vendors should thoroughly read and complete all requested documents to confirm their ability to provide the services as requested.

A Question-and-Answer session with the Contracting Specialists will be available on March 28, 2024 (3/28/24) and will be recorded and posted with this notice to ensure all interested vendors receive the same information. If interested in participating in this Q&A session, you must contact Katie Maloney at katie.maloney@usda.gov by March 27, 2024 (3/27/24) for the session link.

Quotes for the BPA must be received by email to the point(s) of contact specified within the solicitation by May 10, 2024 @ 5PM Eastern to be considered. The BPA quotes will be evaluated on a best value basis for the non-price factors listed below per FAR 52.212-2. Multiple BPAs may be established based on the quality of the quotes received and a determination of what is most advantageous to the Government. Incomplete quotes will not be considered.

A COMPLETE QUOTE MUST INCLUDE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. The company name, address, phone number, contact person, and SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
2. A Technical Quote that addresses the following Key Evaluation Factors:

Factor 1: Technical Approach – For this factor, the Vendor must include specifics on their intended technical approach to satisfy all of the requirements of this BPA. These requirements include but are not limited to the following list:

• • Geographical coverage: Vendors must complete Attachment 3 to indicate the geographic areas in which they can provide the requested services.
  • Cost control methodology: Vendor must demonstrate how they will ensure that they have identified the lowest-cost transportation and disposal methods, including use of subcontractors.
  • Adherence to timelines: Vendor must provide a statement acknowledging the response and action timelines outlined in the SOW (14 business days to submit a quote at the order level; facility contact within 10 business days of awarded order; service/pickup date within 60 calendar days of award) (72 hours to submit a quote for urgent requests; service/pickup date within 14 calendar days of award or Notice to Proceed).
  • Manifest deliverables: Vendor must provide a statement acknowledging that manifest documents are required prior to or at the same time as invoices, and invoices submitted without manifest documents attached or already received by the Government will be rejected.
  • Subcontracting plan: Vendors that cannot be classified as a Small Business under the NAICS provided above must submit a subcontracting plan using Attachment 5. For the purposes of the subcontracting plan, vendors are advised to use the estimated total BPA value of $750,000 while calculating the “Goal Total Dollars” and “Goals Percentage” values in the Small Business Subcontracting Plan attachment.

Factor 2: Experience – Each vendor must submit details on a minimum of three (3) but no more than five (5) separate projects within the last 5 years of the closing date of this solicitation (Attachment 4). The projects described should consist of experiences that are similar to the scope and magnitude of this requirement.

Factor 3: Past Performance – Past Performance will be evaluated for the same projects as submitted for Factor 2. The Vendor must include complete contact information for each customer and each project submitted in response to Factor 2. The government reserves the right to contact references to verify any information provided.

In the case of a Vendor without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the Vendor’s quotation will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.

The evaluation will take into account past performance information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the instant acquisition.

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