Flow Cytometer for Tissue 3D BioPrinting
(i) 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.
(ii) The solicitation number is 75N95019Q00247 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) on a Full and Open competitive basis. This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5-Test Program for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12-Acquisition of Commercial Items. This acquisition is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000.00. A Fixed-Price type of contract is contemplated for any resulting contract entered into as a result of this solicitation.
(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number/Effective Date: 2019-03 / 07-12-2019.
(iv) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with size standard 1000 employees. No set aside restriction is applicable.
(v) This requirement is for the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCATS has a requirement to obtain quantity one (1) Flow Cytometer for Tissue 3D BioPrinting on a BRAND-NAME-OR-EQUAL basis to the COPAS VISION-PRO Flow Cytometer, or its equal, manufactured by Union Biometrica, Inc. located at 84 October Hill Rd, Holliston, MA 01746.
The Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation (DPI) at NCATS plans, conducts and uses both internal and contract resources to advance collaborative research projects across the pre-clinical phases of the translational science spectrum. the Department of Preclinical Innovation (DPI). The 3D Tissue Printing Laboratory in the DPI requires the flow cytometer described in this solicitation to perform High Content Imaging & Discovery to enable the analysis, sorting, and dispensing of objects considered too large for traditional flow cytometers. NCATS is currently invested in a project that requires input of cell spheroids on printed tissues for them to grow and be investigative for potential treatments. In addition, future medicinal chemistry efforts in this project will require testing analogs of the inhibitor in the cell spheroids and for use in the testing of small molecules and natural product extracts (NPE) in other NCATS' models for a number of different phenotypic and viability assays.
(vi) The purpose of this acquisition is to obtain a Flow Cytometer system on a Brand-Name-or-Equal basis to the COPAS VISION-PRO, and accessories, manufactured by Union Biometrica, which are deemed essential in meeting the government's needs.
Specifically, products offered must include those salient physical, functional, or other characteristics of the system manufactured by Union Biometrica, Inc. as described in this notice, which are deemed essential in meeting the government's needs. The following are considered salient characteristics of this potential requirement:
• Large fluidics path fundamental to the handling of 20 - 1,500 micron objects
• Four fluidic paths flow cell sizes to accommodate a specific subset of the size object range.
• Airflow sorting mechanism allowing for collection of live unharmed biological materials.
• 8,000 data points per object for simultaneous detection recorded at data capture rates of up to 10 MHz.
• 5x objective capable of 2 microns of image resolution.
• BioSorter capable of interchangeable flow cells & optics (Fluidic and Optics Core Assemblies or FOCAs) to singularly accommodate entire range of 10-1,500 micron samples.
• Capable to elucidate exact marker location of object/organism.
• Capable of providing extended sorting abilities with user definable sorting regions including profile peak heights, widths, locations, and numbers for each channel.
Products offered must be essentially equal to the flow cytometer system described in this solicitation, which specifically includes the following manufacturer description, part number, quantity:
COPAS VISION-PRO; 450-5000-000; 1
1000 μm FLUIDICS & OPTICS; 450-5004-100; 1
488 nm / 100mW LASER; 450-5010-003; 1
561 nm / 100mW LASER; 450-5010-004; 1
Four CHANNEL PMT CONFIGURATION; 450-5030-000; 1
COPAS Vision Accessory Pack (120V regions); 450-5100-000; 1
Oscillating Sample Introduction System; 450-5050-000; 1
Sheath Fluid Sterility Filter; 600-5031-100; 1
Air Line HEPA Sterility Filter; 600-5031-200; 1
Offerors submitting a quotation must: 1) clearly indicate if the line item or items being offered in their quote is a brand-name item to the brand name item described in this solicitation, or if the item or items being offered is an "or-equal" item; 2) include Shipping and handling cost in the quotation, or specify if it is included in the total price; 3) indicate an estimated delivery time in full after receipt of an order (ARO); 4) indicate if items being quoted are warrantied or serviced in accordance with Offeror's standard commercial warranty practices, and the length of time of such warranty, service coverage or type of support.
(vii) The Government anticipates award of a Firm-Fixed-Price purchase order type of contract for this acquisition, and the anticipated delivery date after receipt of order shall be 10 weeks ARO and will be determined prior to any award. Delivery will be FOB - DESTINATION. The place of delivery and acceptance will be 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.
(viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html
(End of provision)
The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:
• FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Jul 2016)
• FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999)
• FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
• HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015)
The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses:
https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html
(End of clause)
The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:
• FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Jul 2016)
• FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items (Oct 2018).
The provisions of FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (OCT 2018) is applicable to this solicitation:
52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct1995)
52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2016)
52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Oct 2015)
52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Nov 2016)
52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Jul 2013)
52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003)
52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2018)
52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015)
52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016)
52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Oct 2015)
52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities (Jul 2014)
52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans (FEB 2016)
52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010)
52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Mar 2015)
52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification (OCT 2015)
52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011)
52.225-1 Buy American - Supplies (May 2014)
52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008)
52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award Management (Jul. 2013)
The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated as an attachment:
• NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (2/2014)
(ix) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following is an addendum to 52.212-2. Responses received to this RFQ will be evaluated on the basis of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA). Offeror's submitting a response must provide a completed Price Quote to be evaluated and considered for award. Price quotes must indicate fixed unit pricing and total cost, including shipping cost and estimated time of delivery after receipt of order, and warranty and training considerations. Responses will be evaluated based on contractor's ability to meet the government's SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS stated in this notice and on ability to deliver required supplies. Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the Offeror's capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the essential government requirements stated in this solicitation. Under the lowest-price technically acceptable (LPTA) process, Offerors' will be determined to be "technically acceptable" or "technically unacceptable" based on an evaluation of responses against the following factor to determine if, as submitted, the proposal is technically acceptable.
(1) Technical Capability: Offerors shall clearly indicate possessing the technical capability to achieve the essential salient characteristic features of this requirement. The Offeror must indicate in its quotation the ability to provide all of the requirements. The Offeror must indicate in its quotation the ability to meet the delivery requirements. Offerors submitting a response with documented technical specifications and evidence of possessing the technical knowledge, qualifications and capability and management structure needed in successfully achieving the SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS identified in this requirement will be determined to be technically acceptable.
Respondents that believe that they are manufacturers or authorized resellers of any BRAND-NAME product specified in this announcement must provide, as part of their response: (a) product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s); (b) product description; (c) all relevant information and documentation that the item(s) offered meets the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics as specified in the purchase description; quantity; price or cost; shipping, handling, and/or installation charges; and delivery date after receipt of order.
A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.
(x) The Offerors to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer.
(xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.
(xii) The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated in full text.
(xiii) The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions as determined by the contracting officer are necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices. There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition.
(xiv) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.
(xv) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance, special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations.
The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.
(xvi) All responses must be received no later than the date specified in this announcement. Late responses will not be accepted. All responses must reference the subject solicitation number. Responses must be submitted electronically to hunter.tjugum@nih.gov. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. For information regarding this solicitation, contact Mr. Hunter Tjugum by email at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov or by phone at 301-827-5304.
Hunter A Tjugum, Contract Specialist, Phone 3018275304, Email hunter.tjugum@nih.gov
