U.S. Department of Agriculture, ARS, FMOD, BA, Contracting Section, Bldg. 003, Room 329, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, Md. 20705

67 -- DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM SOL 46-3K47-96 DUE 092396 POC Debra Kaelberer, Contract Specialist, 301/504-5548. 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 solictation will not be issued. Solicitation number 46-3K47-96 is issued as a request for proposal and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 90-39. The standard industrial classification code is 3861, with a small business standard of 500 employees. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's, Agricultural Research Service located in Beltsville, MD, intends to noncompetitively negotiate with Alpha Innotech Corp, 14743 Cataline St., San Leandro CA 94577, to purchase the IS-1000 Digital Imaging System. However, the government will consider all offers which demonstrate that they are capable of meeting the Government's requirement. The Government's requirement is as follows: The Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory and the Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory examine the genetic relationships among hundreds of samples of plant pathogens for studies of disease epidemiology and systematic classification. The Laboratory requires a means of image-based data acquisition and the ability to scan in photographic negatives of data obtained in the past without loss of resolution for inclusion in a database of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP's) and fingerprint profiles. In addition, the Laboratory requires the ability to store information of the profiles of a minimum of one thousand samples, and then match the profiles from a minimum of one thousand sample lanes, allowing comparison of similarity and genetic relationships among the samples. This equipment must allow for saturation detection, gamma correction, chip CCD integration, total on screen mouse driven image acquisition and enhancement software, and the dual white light/UV transilluminator cabinet. In addition the equipment must be compatible with existing computers (PC's), and phylogenetic analysis software (NYSYS-PC). Delivery is to be FOB Destination to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD. Delivery is required within 90 days after award. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instruction to Offerors-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition with no addenda. In accordance with the provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items, the Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors, in descending order of importance, will be used to evaluate offers: technical capability to meet the stated requirement, price and past performance. Technical and past performance, when combined are approximately equal to cost or price. Offerors shall identify where the offered item meets or does not meet each of the government's functional and performance minimum specification listed herein. Responses shall include literature, brochures and other such information corresponding to the required items which demonstrates the capabilities of the offer's equipment. Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items, with its offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items applies to this acquisition with no addenda. The following FAR clauses in paragraph (b) of FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to implement Statues or Executive Orders - Commercial Items will apply to the resultant contract: 52.222-26, 52-222-35, 52.222-36, 52-222-37, 52.225-3, 52.225-18, 52.225-21. Because this is a commercial item FAR 12.603(c)(3)(ii) will be used for establishing the solicitation response time rather than the time established in Note 22, which in this instance is not applicable to this commercial acquisition. Any interested/qualified source who believes they can provide the required equipment must respond by 3:00 p.m. on September 23, 1996. All responses will be evaluated in order to determine the ability to meet the above stated capabilities. For information concerning this solicitation contact Debra C. Kaelberer at 301/504-5548 or by fax at 301/504-5009. Offers received after indicated date and time will not be considered. (0243)

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