National Cancer Institute, Research Contracts Branch, PSAS, 6120 Executive Blvd, EPS/Room 638, Bethesda, MD 20892-7227

66 -- OMNIGRID ROBOT/ARRAYER SOL RFQ-NCI-00100-NR DUE 042100 POC Marsha Gorham, Purchasing Agent (301)402-4509 & Todd Cole, Contracting Officer The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Clinical Sciences plans on procuring an Omnigrid robot/arrayer from GeneMachines, 935 Washington Street, San Carlos, CA 94070 on a soles source basis. The Omnigrid gridding robot/arrayer was originally designed and developed at Stanford University and built by GeneMachines, formerly Genomic Instrumentation Services. The design of the original instrument has been modified by GeneMachines to improve the efficiency of printing, capacity for printing, and quality of arrays produced. The NCI Microarray Facility of DCS has two Omnigrid arrayers, and NCI has built a successful large-scale production platform based on the OmniGrid set-up and output level. This array technology is useful in the field of functional genomics because it allows researchers to screen expression levels of tens of thousands of gene sequences and simultaneously generates highly informative molecular profiles for all tissues and cell types. The Omnigrid arrayers deposit DNA sequences on aglass chip or composite filter which is the basis of this technique. Thus, this technology enables scientists to map the gene sequences differentially expressed by cancer cells, and to initially understand the basis for transformation of normal cells to malignant cells at the molecular level. Another Omnigrid arrayer is required to maintain timely throughput within the NCI Microarray Facility. Only the Omnigrid arrayer is consistent with the microarrays generated through the current arraying platform in use at the NCI facility. Compatibility to the existing arrayers is necessary to ensure that the existing microtiter plates can be used with the two existing systems. The systems microtiter plates are only compatible to the Omnigrid system. This also will ensure that all arrays are consistently produced in the production process. Several arrays have been manufactured via the existing machines for use in scientific experiments and analyses throughout the National Cancer Institute. To have another machine producing a different type of array could introduce new variables into these experiments/analyses since much of the increased volume on the existing machines is for repeat scientific experiments. Given the volume of work being done on the existing systems. Another machine is needed. Consequently, the Omnigrid arrayer is the only one that ensures a consistent level of array with those previously produced by the NCI Microarray Facility and the machine offers the fastest manufacturing process of all sources know to the Microarray Facility of NCI. GeneMachines is the only source known to the NCI Researcher that can meet this requirement based on the aforementioned information. This is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NCI to determine if the party can meet the above requirement relative to compatibility and throughput. Capability statements must be received in the contracting office by 1:00 p.m. EDT (local Washington, D.C. time), on April 21, 2000. If you have any questions, please contact Marsha Gorham, Purchasing Agent on (301) 402-4509. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement Please cite solicitation number, RFQ-NCI-00100-NR on your quote. Posted 04/04/00 (W-SN440926). (0095)

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