Inactive

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Any information submitted... THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement is strictly voluntary. The Government will neither award a contract solely based on this notice nor pay for any information submitted by respondents. This notice is a request by the Government to collect information from interested vendors for the purpose of market research. Failing to provide a response to this announcement will not prohibit/exclude an interested vendor from participating in a future solicitation. I. Background: The PIFSC Life History Program uses images of histology and otoliths to evaluate fish reproduction, age, and growth for stock assessments. Analysis entails viewing microscope slides of thin-sectioned tissue and bone samples. The need is to share these images with collaborators and to have a bank of reference images for standardization and transparency and for education and outreach. The portable slide scanner identified for purchase will satisfy three major needs; 1-portability will enable efficient and informative workshops and training sessions with NOAA staff, students, and collaborators, 2- the unit will produce high quality, high-resolution images that can be archived, shared in video consultations (telework within center, collaborations across centers), and 3-provide a critical backup for our existing infrastructure. The quality of the optics and images from this slide scanner our better than our current microscope and camera setup thus, they provide improved images and assessments for our everyday laboratory assessments. INTENDED USE / PURPOSE: The digital whole slide scanner will be used to scan and archive images of microscope slides. The images will then be viewed and shared by biologists. The unit will not be connected to the network, but will be connected to PIFSC laptops (multiple users). This equipment will allow for increases capacity building and training workshops for life history with jurisdictions and partners, allow for remote work capabilities for routine histology work, allow archiving of high-quality images, enable virtual consultations/collaborations (within and across the center), and provide a necessary backup for existing outdated infrastructure. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS (MANDATORY SALIENT FEATURES): 1. Portability- the unit will be shared among multiple PIFSC users and will be used to build life history capacity in the jurisdictions and with agency and university partners. 2. High resolution- 750x magnification 3. High speed - < 3min scan time per slide 4. Automatic focusing during scanning 5. Open optic design that allows for external light sources to be used for imaging otoliths North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS): 339112 with a size standard of 1,000 employees. Interested vendors are requested to provide the following information in response to this Sources Sought Announcement: 1). A statement that you believe your firm has the capability to meet all above stated requirements. 2). A specification sheet for the proposed equipment 3). Your firm's UEI # 4). Your firm's SBA-certified small business concern status. Specifically, identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or in the SBA’s 8(a) program, etc. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business. 5). Confirmation if the proposed equipment is available from GSA schedule. The information provided in response to this announcement is limited to five pages or less. All information shall be provided free of charge to the Government. The Government will not return any data provided in response to this announcement. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise that a procurement action will be issued. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Responses shall be provided to Contracting Officer Stephanie Garnett via email at Stephanie.M.Garnett@noaa.gov no later than 12:00 PM (Hawaii Time) on July 26, 2023.