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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 04, 2008 FBO #2382
SOLICITATION NOTICE

66 -- Automated Liquid Handling System

Notice Date

6/2/2008
 

Notice Type

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, Illinois, 61604
 

ZIP Code

61604
 

Solicitation Number

AG-5114-S-08-BB02
 

Point of Contact

Georgetta C Stonewall,, Phone: (309) 681-6624
 

E-Mail Address

georgetta.stonewall@ars.usda.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation No. AG-5114-S-08-BB02 is being issued as a Request for Proposals (RFP). This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-25. The NAICS code applicable to this acquisition is 334516. For a company to qualify as a small business, the small business standard is 500 employees or less. The USDA, ARS, MWA, Photosynthesis Research Unit, Urbana, IL has a requirement/need for an automated Liquid Handling System which needs to be a bench-top automated liquid handling station for precision dispensing of liquids. The station will be used for increasing the throughput and efficiency of biochemical assays, DNA, and RNA applications. THE SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS: the automated Liquid Handling System must meet or exceed these minimum requirements: 1) The system should be capable of aspirating from and dispensing into 96, 384 and 1536 well SBS microplates. It must be capable of pipetting volumes between 0.5 and 235 microliters while achieving a precision better than 2% CV at 1.0 microliter. The system should have a deck capacity of no less than 15 SBS plate positions. 2) The system should offer the ability to use either 96 or 384 multi-channel dispense heads which can be changed within a protocol, on the fly under software control and require no user intervention or recalibration of the system when doing so. 3) The system should allow loading a single column or row of tips for serial dilution procedures as well as any user defined well pattern. 4) The system should include a means to move plates and tips to all deck locations and allow moving of plates with tips attached to dispense head. 5) The system should allow for pre-aspirate and post dispense mixing as well as multiple dispenses from a single aspirate. 6) The system must include a tip wash station that refills the wash reservoir with fresh wash solution after each wash sequence. 7) The system should provide a means to add a 384 channel dispense head capable of volumes between 50 nanoliters and 1 microliter with software selectable volumes in 10 nanoliter steps. 8) A single position shaker for microplates is required and can be turned on and/or off within a protocol by instrument software. Speed 100 – 2000 rpm; amplitude 2 mm and self centering. 9) The system should allow for future addition of storage devices capable of delivering automation friendly microplates and/or tip boxes. When storage devices are employed, the dispense head shall be able to pipette to and from the microplate while still on the diving board. 10) The system software should include a library of labware files which allows addressing microplates, deep well plates, reagent reservoirs and 1.5 microliter tubes. It shall also allow creating customer defined labware profiles for optimizing aspirate and dispense heights. 11) The system must provide automated temperature control between 4 and 70 degrees C for cooling/heating of no less than four microplate positions which can be accessed by the dispense head. The temperature set points must be stored within a protocol and monitored by the system software to prevent executing a protocol before the desired temperature is achieved. To ensure uniform cooling across the plates the temperature control device should include adapters for flat bottom and PCR plates as well as 1.5 microliter tubes. Three adapters for flat bottom plates, one adapter for a 96 well PCR plate and one adapter for 1.5 microliter microfuge tubes are to be included in the proposal. 12) All robotic movements shall be stored in a database to enable verification of pipetting actions and plate movement. These entries shall include time and date stamping as well as grid position. The software should be capable of generating post run reports which include pipetting steps and any system errors which may have occurred. 13) The software should provide the option of ejecting tips in their rack for re-use or disposing to waste. Disposable tips should be in an automation friendly format. 14) The instrument control software should be built around a graphical user interface with pull-down menus and be compatible with Windows XP. The software should also enable creating customized dialog boxes to inform users of assembly changes or tip/reagent replenishment requirements. The system software should be able to easily conduct file importation routines with single point insertion for common file type (e.g..csv type files from Microsoft Excel). 15) The electrical requirements for the system should be: 110-120 volts AC 50/60 Hz. 16) Installation and two days of on site training are required. 17) Must include a warranty guaranteeing one year of parts, labor and travel. DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE: Offerors shall submit 2 copies of the Descriptive Literature describing their proposed equipment in enough detail to ascertain whether the equipment meets the criteria listed above. REJECTION OF PROPOSAL: Failure to demonstrate compliance will be cause to reject the quote without further discussions. All responsible sources may submit an offer which will be considered. The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and can be found in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference are as follows: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items (Provide with Proposal); FAR 52.214-21, Descriptive Literature (Provide with Proposal); FAR 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration (ALL OFFERORS MUST BE REGISTERED IN THE CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (CCR) DATABASE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AN AWARD.) The website address for registration is: http://www.ccr.gov; and FAR 52.222-22, Previous Compliance Report. FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference are as follows: FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items are applicable to this acquisition: FAR 52.222-3, Convict Labor (E.O. 11755); FAR 52.222-19, Child Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans; 52.225-13, Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer -Central Contractor Registration (31 U.S.C. 3332); 52.232-36, Payment by Third Party (31 U.S.C. 3332) and FAR 52.233, Protest After Award. The above FAR clauses may be viewed at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/loadmainre.html. SHIPPING: FOB Destination. DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN PROPOSAL: In order to be considered for award Offerors shall provide 1) a Quote on company letterhead detailing the item description, unit price and total price; 2) descriptive literature, brochures, information on service and support; 3) at least 3 to 5 references for the proposed equipment. References must have received the proposed equipment within the last three (3) calendar years (Government references preferred but will accept commercial references). References shall be provided for the product proposed and if possible include the email address of the person to be contacted; and 4) Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provisions FAR 52.212-3, OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS, with this offer; a copy of this provision may be obtained at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/loadmainre.html. DELIVERY TO: USDA-ARS, Urbana, IL. PROPOSAL PRICE MUST INCLUDE any freight or shipping, as well as any applicable duties, brokerage, or customs fees. DELIVERY DATE DUE: The Government requires delivery on or before 30 days after award, however, each offeror shall include their proposed delivery schedule as part of their quote. FAR 52.212.-2, EVALUATION - COMMERCIAL ITEM, the significant evaluation factors, in the relative order of importance, are (i) technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement including delivery date; (ii) past performance; and (iii) price (based on F.O.B. Destination), technical and past performance are more important than price. Award will be made based on overall BEST VALUE to the Government. EVALUATION & AWARD FACTORS - The contract resulting from this solicitation will be awarded to the responsible party whose offer, conforming to the solicitation, is determined most advantageous to the government, cost, and other factors considered. Each Proposal shall respond to each of the evaluation factors identified below. With the exception of past performance, a technical evaluation will be performed on each quote based solely on the information furnished and not on previous knowledge or associations. The evaluation factors are as follows: (1) Technical Evaluation Factors: A) All quotes will be rated against the salient characteristics and minimum requirements. B)Delivery/Installation. C) Training. D) Warranty. The Offeror shall extend to the Government the full coverage of any standard commercial warranty normally offered in a similar commercial sale, provided such warranty is available at no additional cost to the Government. Acceptance of the standard commercial warranty does not waive the Government's rights under the Inspection clause nor does it limit the Government's right with regard to the other terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of the contract shall take precedence over the standard commercial warranty. The contractor shall provide a copy of its standard commercial warranty (if applicable) with this response. Any amendment and documents related to this procurement will be available electronically at the Internet site: http://www.fbo.gov. Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of those documents related to this procurement, if any. Furnish Proposals to Georgetta Stonewall, Contracting Officer, USDA, ARS, MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604, no later than 2:00 p.m., June 20, 2008. Proposals and other requested documents may be provided by facsimile to (309) 681-6683 if desired. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Contracting Officer at (309) 681-6624 or email below.
 

Web Link

FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f3291289df8997150e309e3a182a9c87&tab=core&_cview=1)
 

Place of Performance

Address: USDA, ARS, MWA, 1201 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Zip Code: 61801
 

Record

SN01585130-W 20080604/080602220744-f3291289df8997150e309e3a182a9c87 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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