USDA, ARS, PPD, Contracts Branch, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Rm. 3-2126-C, Beltsville, MD 20775-5100

66 -- ABI PRISM 3700 DNA ANALYZERS WITH HIGH-THROUGHPUT DNA SEQUENCER SOL RFQ 17-3K06-99 DUE 042799 POC Contract Specialist Darleen Masten (301) 504-1709 The USDA, ARS, intends to purchase four (4) brand name or equal, Perkin Elmer Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Center Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, Model ABI Prism 3700 DNA. Catalog no. 900-I with one each of the following accessories for each instrument (unless otherwise noted) under catalog no. 900-A: (1) 50cm Capillary Array (2 each per instrument); and (2) Sequencing Analysis Application Kit, which includes sequencing analysis software, manual and chemistry guide, chemistry kit with a 90 days warranty on parts. The purchase shall also include: Installation, on-site training, start-up chemical kit, data collection software (includes polymer & calibration standards), NT Workstation, Monitor, Keyboard, User Documentation, and a one year warranty on parts, labor and service travel. This instrument is used for production-scale DNA analysis. Each instrument is to be delivered to a different location within the continental U.S., not yet designated. The instrument is required to have the following minimum mandatory specifications: (1) A 100 channel capillary electrophoresis unit; (2) An auto detect for malfunctioning capillaries; (3) Capable of utilizing low-cost uncoated capillary tubes; (4) Capable of handling a minimum of 1500 sequence samples per day from standard format 96 or 384 well plates; (5) Capable of handling a minimum of 550,000 base pairs of sequence per day; (6) Capable of utilizing a four-color dye-terminator chemistry compatible with existing primer sets; (7) Capable of handling 24 hour unattended operation with auto loading and automatically pack capillaries with separation polymer; (8) Must have ABI system automated data collection and analysis with data output compatibility; (9) Utilizing a 384-well formation. Clones will be processed, purified and sequenced in this same 384-well format. This is required because re-arraying the libraries from a 384-well format to any other format (i.e. 96-well) would introduce significant expenses and be time consuming; and (10) Utilizing dye-terminator chemistry, in contrast to dye-primer chemistry, which allows the sequencing of DNA templates using unlabeled oligonucleotide primers. This is necessary as there are over 6,000 unlabeled oligonucleotide primers which can be used with dye-terminator chemistry. To utilize dye-primer chemistry would require the production of fluorescent versions of many of these primers, representing a significant expenditure of resources and labor. Dye-primer chemistry also requires a 4-fold increase in labor and reagent consumption as the one-tube-terminator chemistry. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 97-11. The following FAR provisions apply to this acquisition: (1) 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial; (2) 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, which include the following FAR Clauses under this provision: (a) 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I (41 U.S.C. 253g and 10 U.S.C. 2402); (b) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns and Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns (15 U.S.C. 637 (d)(2) and (3)); (c) 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (38 U.S.C. 4212); (d) 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (29 U.S.C. 793); (e) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (38 U.S.C. 4212); (f) 52.225-3, Buy American Act -- Supplies (41 U.S.C. 10); (g) 52.225-9, Buy American Act -- Trade Agreements Act -- Balance of Payments Program (41 U.S.C. 10, 19 U.S.C. 2501-2582); and (3) 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items. Offerors are to include a completed copy of provision FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with their offer. In accordance with FAR 52.212-3, Evaluation -- Commercial Items (Jan 1999) the significant evaluation factors, in the relative order of importance, are (i) technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement; (ii) past performance; and (iii) price (based on F.O.B. Destination). The SIC is 3826. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in 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. Interested parties are required to submit a quote, descriptive literature, five references for the proposed instrument that have received the proposed instrument within the last three calendar years (Government references preferred but will accept commercial references), and a subcontracting plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9, Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan (15 U.S.C. 637 (d)(4)), by 3:00pm, Eastern Time by April 27, 1999, at the address shown in No. 7 of this synopsis. Facsimile or EMAIL responses will be acceptable, but the government is not responsible for failed deliveries of offers. Responses should indicate solicitation number Request For Quotations (RFQ) 17-3K06-99. Posted 04/06/99 (W-SN317012). (0096)

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