SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- PALM Microbeam C Laser Microdissection Microscope
- Notice Date
- 7/27/2006
- 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-60117-NV
- Response Due
- 8/4/2006
- Archive Date
- 8/19/2006
- Description
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Experimental Immunology Branch (EIB) plans to enter into a sole source procurement for a PALM Microbeam C Laser Microdissection Microscope from Carl Zeiss Microimaging, Inc., One Zeiss Dr., Thornwood, NY 10594. 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. Carl Zeiss Microimaging Inc., is the only source known to the NCI researcher that has a inverted configuration laser microdissection microscope that provides features that are required for their research and detailed below. However, if any interested party believes it can perform the requirement as detailed 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 August 4, 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). 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 PALM Microbeam C Laser Microdissection Microscope Purpose/Brief History: The EIB Microscopy Facility requires a laser microdissection microscope (LMD) to satisfy the demands of research projects conducted by EIB members. A laser microdissection microscope provides the ability to capture specific regions from a sample for further biochemical analysis. It also provides the ability to perform microirradiation experiments on living samples where information on in situ biochemical context is necessary. The Carl Zeiss MicroImaging LMD is designed on an inverted microscope configuration and one of the main uses of the LMD here in the EIB will be examining live cells, which requires an inverted microscope configuration to be performed reliably and efficiently. The Carl Zeiss LMD is the only microscope that provides the capabilities that are required by the EIB investigators. In addition it is compatible with the numerous existing microscope components that are already in the EIB Microscopy Facility. The Palm Microbeam C has the following features that are required for the EIB?s research: 1) The LMD provides a non-contact method for cutting and capture which maintains sterility of the sample. 2) Laser pressure catapulting technology used to transport captured sample into collection tube. 3) LMD configuration is based on an inverted microscope platform which is ideal for live cell work. 4) PlasDIC enhanced optical contrast method for plastic dishes or membrane slides, the two primary substrates to be used in preparing samples. 5) High resolution cutting below 1 micrometer for capture of single chromosomes from metaphase spreads. 6) Advanced image analysis and archiving suite for automatic object recognition and analysis. The Zeiss software is compatible with software currently run on our existing microscopes. 7) Capable of cutting and capturing archival samples prepared on glass rather than polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) membrane. 8) Live cell microirradiation in a sterile environment. The configuration of the Zeiss PALM LMD includes a fluorescence imaging components providing the ability to excite and monitor Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged proteins in living cells before, during, and after laser microirradiation and microdissection. This method will provide the EIB with new and novel tools to apply to their research projects. The Zeiss PALM LMD system has the unique ability to accommodate complex live cell imaging experiments while also performing standard laser microdissection procedures consistently. PART II: Facts and reasons to Justify Other than Full and Open Competition Statutory authority FAR 13.106-1(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: The EIB?s existing microscopes do not provide the laser microirradiation and microdissection capabilities provided by the Zeiss PALM LMD. Introduction of DNA breaks in living cells requires an inverted microscope configuration that is provided only by Carl Zeiss Microimaging Inc. Without this configuration we would be severely hindered in studying the mechanisms of DNA repair in living cells. In addition, the Zeiss PALM LMD software platform is consistent with that used on our existing Zeiss LSM510 laser scanning confocal microscope, thereby allowing the PALM LMD to integrate into our facility with minimal retraining effort and providing ease of operation that is critical for EIB members to obtain fully reproducible data from one day to the next.
- Record
- SN01099275-W 20060729/060727220447 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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