SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Multiphoton microscope system with tunable infrared laser
- Notice Date
- 4/12/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-2017-314
- Archive Date
- 5/9/2017
- Point of Contact
- Hunter A. Tjugum, Phone: 3018275304
- E-Mail Address
-
hunter.tjugum@nih.gov
(hunter.tjugum@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- INTRODUCTION This is a "Sources Sought" notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a small business social-economic set-aside, competitive or non-competitive method is possible, and to determine the availability of all qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government's requirement. NORTH AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The NAICS code applicable to this requirement is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with size standard 1000 employees. Background The National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program plans and conducts basic, clinical, and translational research to advance understanding of the diagnosis, causes, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders through the study of brain function and behavior. Investigators in the NIMH intramural program perform a variety of experiments in which imaging of sections of brain tissue that contain fluorescent labels is an essential step. These experiments may require cellular or subcellular resolution. They may require imaging of 4 or more different fluorophores in the same material. Many of the experiments require that large brain regions and multiple different brain regions be imaged as part of an experiment. In some of these experiments brains from large groups of animals need to be imaged and the labeling between different animals quantitatively analyzed. Investigators are now adopting techniques such as CLARITY, CUBIC and iDISCO and using these techniques to image tissue that is up to 4 millimeters deep. Purpose and Objectives The need for high resolution imaging of multiple colors is best met by laser scanning confocal microscopy because of its ability to reject out of focus light and selectively excite specific fluorophores. The requirement for imaging thick tissue adds the requirement for multiphoton imaging. Since these techniques image volumes of tissue one pixel at a time there is a requirement for rapid scanning and for computational methods and power to work with the acquired data. The concurrent need for imaging of multiple fluorophores in thick tissue is best achieved by mulitiphoton imaging with use of an extended range tunable infrared laser as a component of the Multiphoton microscope system. This Sources Sought notice seeks to determine eligible sources capable of achieving the essential features of this potential requirement; to obtain a Multiphoton microscope system with compatible tunable infrared laser in accordance with the specifications described in this notice. Project Requirements Contractors submitting a response to this Sources Sought notice shall possess the ability to achieve the essential government features specified herein. Offerors to this Sources Sought notice shall document evidence of being able to provide a Multiphoton microscope system, containing the tunable infrared laser that shall be compatible with the multiphoton microscope system, in accordance with the following specifications: 1.Microscope with upright configuration that is optimized for confocal and multiphoton imaging that achieves the following features: a.All necessary hardware and software to use tunable and fixed wavelength beams simultaneously and fully compatible and ready to accept 2 beam tunable IR laser for multiphoton imaging programmed with laser tuning between Z-stacks b.Ability to simultaneously image at least 4 of the following fluorophores, Alexa 405, Alexa 488, Alexa 550, Alexa 594, Alexa 647, eGFP, mCherry, tdTomato in confocal mode c.Ability to image any of the above fluorophores in multiphoton mode, including at least 2 simultaneously with nondescanned high sensitivity (GASP or Hyd detectors) d.Objectives for imaging conventional sections, such as including, but not limited to, 5X, 10X (N.A >=0.4), 20X (Plan Apo, N.A >= 0.75)., 40X (Plan Apo, N.A. >=1.3) and 63X (Plan Apo, N.A. >= 1.4). e.Objective(s) with refractive index correction for imaging at least 4mm into tissue cleared with CLARITY or equivalent technique with numerical aperature of 0.9 or better f.Programmable XYZ stage for rapid acquisition of images from material up to 4mm thick anywhere on at least two standard 1 x 3 inch microscope slides g.Computer workstation and software to operate microscope and process acquired data h.Air table to accommodate above equipment i.Installation and onsite training in basic and advanced use of equipment 2.Tunable infrared laser for use as part of the multiphoton microscope system shall achieve the following features: a.Laser system must have software controlled automated tuning across a range of 680 nm - 1300 nm with a single output beam across the complete tuning range. b.Tunable beam from 680 nm to 1300 nm must have greater than 1 watt output throughout, with pulse width less than 120 fs c.Tuning speed greater than 50 nm/second across entire tunable range d.Fixed 1045 nm beam with power output greater than 2 watts, with pulse width less than 200 femtoseconds that is synchronized to the tunable beam e.Compatible with hardware and software interfaces provided as part of the multiphoton microscope system f.Supplies warrantied for unlimited hours of use a total of five years or in accordance with standard commercial practices Delivery: Offerors should indicate an estimated delivery time in full after receipt of an order and any other training or warranty schedules applicable. Inspection and acceptance will be performed at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), located in Bethesda, MD 20892. Capability statements sought Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this product or service. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. Respondents must provide, as part of their response: (a) product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s); (b) product description; (c) best estimated delivery date after receipt of order; (d) all relevant information and documentation that the item(s) offered meets the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics as specified in this announcement. Respondents that believe that they are authorized resellers of the equipment described in this announcement may provide, in addition to the aforementioned information, as part of their response: quantity; estimated price or cost; shipping, handling, and/or installation charges. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The response is limited to fifteen (15) pages. The 15-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the product requirement. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Respondents must reference announcement number HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-2017-314 on all correspondence related to this Sources Sought notice. The response must be submitted to Hunter Tjugum electronically, at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov and NIDASSSAPurchaseRequ@mail.nih.gov and be received prior to the closing date specified in this announcement. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
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