Amendment No. 2 The solicitation is amended to change the following items: -- 1. Under 1.0 Specifications, delete third sentence beginning with: The rope shall be designed., and substitute with the following sentence: Adherence to specification of rope design and the rope product will be measured using the Cordage Institute International Standard C11500-02, Test Methods for Fiber Rope. -- 2. Under 1.0 Specifications, item (3), change linear density from 1.22 lbs. to 1.1 lbs. -- 3. Under 1.0 Specifications, item (4), delete sentence and substitute with: Three test average, cycled breaking force as per CI1500-2.1.3 to 30 percent: 14,750 pounds. -- 4. Under 1.0 Specifications, item (11), change size from 30 inches x 23 feet x 12 feet, to 30 inches x 23 inches x 12 feet. -- 5. The reel size for the maximum and minimum orders are changed from 500M/190# to 500M/180#. -- 6. Under 4.0 Order and Delivery, delete last sentence and substitute with the following: The minimum rate of production shall be 20 reels per 2 weeks, i.e., if 100 reels are ordered, delivery shall be 20 reels times 5 or delivery within 5 weeks.------------------------ This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation, proposals are not being requested, and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number is #AB133R-05-RP-1067. The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular No. 2001-10 dated 11/22/02. The resulting contract will be a firm-fixed price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity type contract. The maximum order per year is 150 reels @ 500M/190#. The minimum order per year is 50 reels @500M/190#. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 314991 with a size standard of 500 employees. This requirement is a small business set aside (Number Note #1). This acquisition will be processed under simplified acquisition procedures (Part 13). SCHEDULE: Contract Line Item #0001 - Base Year: Furnish and deliver, in accordance with the specifications Estimated Quantity of 120 reels of nylon rope: Unit Price = $_____/RL x 300 = Total Price $_____; Option Year One: Contract Line Item #0002 - Furnish and deliver, in accordance with the specifications Estimated Quantity of 120 reels of nylon rope: Unit Price = $_____/RL x 120 = Total Price $_____; Option Year Two: Contract Line Item #0003 - Furnish and deliver, in accordance with the specifications Estimated Quantity of 120 reels of nylon rope: Unit Price = $_____/RL x 120 = Total Price $______. Grand Total of items 0001 through 0003 = $______. To be responsive, offerors must provide the Manufacturer of Nylon Rope Offered; Nylon Rope brand name/model name, number, or other identifying nomenclature. Offerors are required to submit a completed SF-1449 (see Amendment No. 1). Quantities provided above are for informational purposes only and are not intended to imply that the quantity stated is an exact indication of the total deliverables required. 1.0 SPECIFICATIONS for Nylon Rope: The contractor shall provide and deliver a nominal 11/16 inch diameter, 8-strand plaited, high-energy absorption rope of a torque-balanced construction. The rope shall be steam heat stabilized after fabrication to stabilize the rope structure. The rope shall be designed and manufactured to meet the Cordage Institute International Standard CI 1500-02, Test Methods for Fiber Rope, and meet the following specifications: (1) Polyamide fiber (caprolactam), marine grad yarn, (2) 11/16 inch nominal diameter, (3) Linear density 1.22 lbs. / 10 feet, plus/minus 5 percent, (4) Minimum cycled breaking force as per CI 1500-2.1.3 to 30 percent: 15,000 pounds, (5) Minimum energy absorption capacity between loads of 200D squared and 30 percent of minimum tensile strength: 26,650 ft. lbs./100 ft., (6) Elastic elongation range between loads of 200D squared and 30 percent of minimum tensile strength: 16 to 22 percent (loading rate per C.I. Std. Test Methods CI 1500-02 9.4.2), (7) Residual shrinkage equal to or less than 3 percent, (8) Length 500 meters per reel (nominal), (9) Braider strand splices are not allowed, (10) A minimum of one rope strand must contain two ends, of unlike colored yarn, (11) Rope shall be furnished on nonreturnable wooden reels, 30 inches x 23 feet x 12 feet, (12) Reel drive pinhole diameter shall be 1 inch and located 5 inches from center, one on each headboard, (13) The reel head shall be 5/4 inch boards, two ply with wood laid perpendicular to each other and securely nailed. The nail heads shall be countersunk below the surface of the wood, (14) The headboards shall have a center hole of 3 inch diameter, (15) The barrel shall consist of 3/4 inch thick wood staves mortised into the reel heads, and (16) The reel shall be assembled with a minimum of three 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch diameter steel bolts having cup washers on each end, recessed and flush with headboard surface. 2.0 Samples: The contractor shall furnish a stress/strain curve of the rope following the procedure in CI 1500-02 section 11, Determination of Cycled Strength and section 12, Determination of permanent Strain, Overall Strain and Immediate Strain. The offeror shall also submit a 10 meter sample of the proposed nylon rope as part of the offer submission. Samples shall be submitted at no expense to the Government and returned only at the offerors request and expense, unless destroyed during pre-award testing. The sample shall be subjected to chemical and mechanical testing to insure compliance with the specifications. The relative effectiveness of the marine grade yarns will be determined by utilizing the standard test of the Cordage Institute on Polyester yarns. The offer may be rejected if the sample fails to conform to the required specifications. Samples showing a boil off shrinkage of greater than 3 percent shall be rejected. Products delivered under any resulting contract must conform to the approved sample and stated specifications. Samples shall be delivered to Sharon Kent located at the above address in the Contracting Office. NOTE: Any offeror who has manufactured and delivered this rope for NOAA, PMEL, to the above specifications within the past 12 months is exempt from the sample requirement. 3.0 Site Visit: The Government reserves the right to perform a site visit of the manufacturing facility to inspect the equipment used to force steam stabilization prior to award. 4.0 Order and Delivery: Orders will be issued in writing by the Contracting Officer on an as-needed basis. Products are to be delivered FOB to NOAA, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-6349. Delivery dates will be based on one-day per ordered reel, i.e., 20 reels to be delivered FOB in 2 weeks. 5.0 Period of Performance: The period of performance will be effective from the award date of the contract through a one (1) year period. 6.0 Options: The Government may require continued performance of this contract for two (2) one-year periods at the rates established under the Schedule. Exercising each option will be at the discretion of the Government anytime during the current performance period. Full text of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) can be accessed on the Internet at www.arnet.gov/far; and Commerce Acquisition Regulation (CAR) clauses can be accessed in full text on the Internet at http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/APP/cartoc.htm, under local clauses noted. The following FAR provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212 1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial and the following Addenda: Offers must include with their offer an originally signed SF-1449, a completed Schedule, a completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.212 3, Offerors Representations and Certifications Commercial Items, and Past Performance Form (see Amendment 1 for forms). FAR 52.212 2, Evaluation Commercial Items, with technical and past performance combined are of equal importance when compared to price. Award will be made to the responsible offeror with the lowest priced and technically acceptable offer. FAR 52.212 4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial items and the following Addenda: FAR 52.21618, Ordering - effective date of contract through a one (1) year period.; 52.216-19, Order Limitations - (a) Minimum Order: 50 Reels @ 500m/190#, (b) Maximum order: The contractor is not obligated to honor (1) Any order for a single item in excess of 150 Reels @500m/190#, (2) Any order for a combination of items in excess of 150 Reels, or (3) A series of orders from the same ordering office with thirty (30) calendar days that together call for quantities exceeding the limitation in subparagraph (b)(1) or (2) of this provision, and (d) seven (7) calendar days after issuance of the order; FAR 52.216-22, Indefinite Quantity - (d) 90 calendar days of contract completion; 52.214-34, 52.214-35, 52.219 4, 52.219 23, 52.222 21, 52.222 26, 52.222 35, 52.222 36, 52.222 37, 52.225-13, 52.232 34, CAR clauses 1352.201-70, 1352.201-71, and 1352.233-71. Agency level protest procedures can be found in full text at http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/CONOPS/#REFERENCE. Facsimile or e mail offers are not acceptable. FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders Commercial Items and the following Addenda: 52.219-8, 52.222 3, 52.222 21, 52.222 26, 52.222 35, 52.222 36, 52.222 37, 52.225 13, 52.225 16, 52.232.33, and 52.233 3. Offers are due in the office of NOAAs Acquisition Management Division, address noted above, by 2:00 PM (local time) on January 28, 2005. All offers received by the due date will be considered by the Government.