This is a SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS for market research purposes.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE USED FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.



The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) is seeking vendors who can provide metals, on an as-needed basis, for the NIST Storeroom and Warehouse, located on the NIST Campus in Gaithersburg, MD.



The NIST Storeroom and Warehouse is an 11,500 square foot facility, with a 2,700 square foot sales floor, located in Building 301 on the NIST Campus. The Storeroom is a part of the NIST Administrative Services Division, Logistics Storeroom Section. Their mission is to service customers better than anyone else could serve them and provide customers the highest quality, variety and convenience.



The Storeroom stocks the following commodities for use by NIST personnel: Electronics, Tools & Hardware, Electrical Supplies, Plumbing Supplies, Metals, Chemistry Products, Office Supplies, Building Materials, and Forms & Letterhead. The Storeroom also maintains an on-line catalog to provide NIST personnel with current information on items available.



The commodity being sought out via this sources sought notice is metals. Examples of the required commodities include, but are not limited to: aluminum sheet, aluminum rod, aluminum bars & tubes, copper rods, brass tubing, Bakelite rods, plexiglass sheets, stainless steel bars and tubing, steel bars, tubing and sheets. Other commodities may be sought out via future notices. This notice is not seeking vendors to facilitate the operation of the storeroom, but, to provide metals to stock the storeroom on an as-needed basis.



Currently, the NIST/Acquisition Management Division (AMD) procures metals via individual Government Delivery Orders or Purchase Orders as quantities of different items are required. While this process has been successful, AMD is evaluating the benefits of consolidating the procurement of each of these components in order to expedite the procurement process, as well as to obtain more significant discounts for these procurements that are inherent in long term contractual vehicles, up to five years in length.



NIST IS SEEKING SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURERS TO PROVIDE THE PRODUCTS HEREIN. IF NIST IS ABLE TO LOCATE TWO OR MORE SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURERS THAT CAN SATISFY NIST?S NEEDS AT A FAIR MARKET VALUE, NIST WILL PROCEED WITH A SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE.



Vendors must be able to provide all of the following:



1. Metals of the type indicated above;



2. Shrink wrap and palletize orders and ship in a neat and orderly manner. If multiple pallets are to be delivered, each pallet shall be provided with an itemized packaging list that identifies each item on that pallet and the quantity of each item on the pallet;



3. Deliver products, not later than 3 weeks after receipt of an order;



4. A designated customer service representative to handle questions, issues and problems that may arise either in person, via telephone, or via e-mail.



Please indicate in your response if the company has on-line ordering capability.



Vendors must provide information on their experience and expertise with respect to the above, and any other information considered pertinent to the requirements above to Carol A. Wood, Contract Specialist, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640. Information submitted must be specific and address each of the above points.



Submissions must be received by 3:00 p.m. local time on

March 26, 2008. Original and e-mail submissions are acceptable.



Vendors shall identify their business size as Small Business in accordance with North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 423510; the Small Business Size Standard is 100 employees. Vendors shall indicate if they are manufacturers of the required products.



If Vendors are small business distributors, but not manufacturers of the required products, please indicate in your response.