USDA, Agricultural Research Service, 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951

66 -- SPIRAL PLATER AND AUTOMATEAD COUNTER SOL RFP-JW-001 DUE 042100 POC Judy Wilkinson (509) 454-6580 WEB: NA, NA. E-MAIL: NA, jwpurch@yarl.ars.usda.gov. The USDA Agricultural Research Service in Wapato, WA has a requirement for an Autoplate Spiral Plater, Qcount Automated Counter, and a Vacuum Source with the following characteristics: The Autoplate Plater is a dispensing stylus that deposits a syringe-drawn sample onto a rotating agar plate. The stylus moves from the near-center of the plate outward while the plate rotates, and the syringe plunger drives downward, depositing less sample as the stylus moves outward. This unique plating action eliminates most serial dilutions by continuously reducing the number of microbes placed along the spiral track. The Qcount Automated Counter combines a high-resulution CCD video camera, specialized lighting, and countour-analysis software into a system that counts microbial colonies on plates. The high-resolution CC video camera captures the plate image, giving a minimum colony detection size of 0.1 mm. The Vacuum Source creates suction and flow necessary for dilutions and plating of the spore suspensions. The instruments will be used to quantitate the number of bacterial and fungal spores in microbial control experiments. The Government intends on negotiating with the only known responsible source, Spiral Biotech, Inc., Bethesda, MD. A solicitation is not available for this notice. Interested firms are encouraged to submit proposals containing descriptive literature of the products to the mailing address shown in this notice. "This Procurement is Set Aside for Small Business Concerns." See numbered Note 22.***** Posted 03/20/00 (W-SN436282). (0080)

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