SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- 2470 Protein Microarrayer
- Notice Date
- 6/2/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 6120 Executive Blvd. EPS Suite 600, Rockville, MD, 20852
- ZIP Code
- 20852
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-NCI-60075-NV
- Response Due
- 6/13/2006
- Archive Date
- 6/28/2006
- Description
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Molecular Therapeutics Program (MTP) plans to enter into a sole source procurement for a 2470 Protein Microarrayer from Aushon BioSystems, 25 Adams St., Suite 1, Burlington, MA 01803. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 334516 and the business size standard is 500 employees. This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 ? Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR 13.5 to use simplified procedures for commercial acquisitions. Aushon BioSystems is the only source known to the NCI researcher that has a protein microarrayer that provides features that are required for their research and detailed below in their JOFOC. However, if any interested party believes it can perform requirement as detailed in the JOFOC they may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities and any other furnished information must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NCI researcher to determine if the party can perform this requirement. An original and one copy of the capability statement must be received in the contracting office by 1:00 pm EDT, on June 13, 2006. Faxed and emailed capability statements are NOT authorized. All questions must be in writing and may be emailed to Debbie Moore at dm170b@nih.gov or faxed (301) 402-4513. It is the vendor?s responsibility to call (301) 402-4509 and verify that questions were received. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In order to receive an award from the NCI contractors must be registered in the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA) in order to receive an award. Please refer to http://orca.bpn.gov in order to register. In addition, contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Part I: Background information and Description of Acquisition Title: Acquisition of Aushon BioSystems protein microarrayer 2470 a device for high throughtput "reverse-phase" protein lysate microarray production Purpose/Brief History: Molecular Therapeutics Program at the NCI needs to acquire microarrayer that is compatible to high viscosity protein spotting, namely "reverses-phase" protein lysate microarrays (RPA). The RPA was invented in the NCI in 2000 by scientists from Clinical Proteomics Program. In contrast to other protein arrays, the RPA requires the capability of handiling high-concentration and high-viscosity samples within a given amount of time to prevent samples from "during production" variations. Projects involve monitoring responses of many protein species across many samples in various bological/pathological contexts including identifying molecular target in chemotherapy. Changes at protein level are sometimes very small in which distinguishing signal from noise is extremely important. The Aushon 2470 protein microarrayer is the only machine that can achieve sufficient quality using such high-viscosity samples. The Aushon 2470 protien microarrayer incorporated a series of requests based on collaborative testing with the alpha-unit. Proprietary solid-pin architecture makes remarkable reproducibility possible. The solid-pin performs an equal quality of printing no matter what types of solution including our high-viscosity samples. A built-in humidity control keeps sample concentration stable. The pin-uniformity provides an opportunity to increase the total pin number up to 48. All these innovative features allow users to make high-density RPAs. In addition to the sample spotting advantage, the Aushon 2470 protein microarrayer is capable of holding 30 of 384-microtiter plates in the machine. All plates (where samples are) are kept under humidity control with lid while they are not being printed. The Aushon protein microarrayer can also print 50 slides at one run. The printing speed is remarkably increased so the time per microplate for the 50 slide set is still quick enough to keep the source samples retained (less than 65min per plate when 50 slides printed with 32-pin). Printing proteins requires a series of special conditions described above. The Aushon 2470 protein microarrayer is the only one that is designed for such demanding production. So far the CCR is able to print more than 10,000 features on a single slide and produce those 50 at a time in only 17 hours (when 32-pin used). All samples were protected from evaporation so the CCR can reuse the same set of microplates. The reusability will remarkably improve the degree of throughput in protein study with guaranteed quality of the arrays. The pin-uniformity also allows users making multiple small scale studies in a short period of time. PART II: Facts and reasons to Justify Other than Full and Open Competition Statutory authority FAR 13.106(b)(1) b) Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, or industrial mobilization). Justification: As stated above Aushon BioSystems is the only manufacturer of such an instrument (Aushon 2470 protein microarrayer) that can insure high-viscosity sample handling under fully controlled environment with the patent-pending solid pin architecture. The Aushon 2470 protein microarrayer is also the only one that can hold a set of 30 microplates, and print 50 slides at one run.
- Record
- SN01061308-W 20060604/060602220455 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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