Inactive

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial product prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional inform... (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial product prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 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 75N95023Q00326 and the solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the FAR subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and is not expected to exceed the dollar value authorized under FAR subpart 13.5. A fixed-price type of purchase order is contemplated for this requirement. (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2023-04, dated June 2, 2023. (iv) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Equipment and Supplies, and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees or less. This requirement shall be solicited using full and open competitive procedures. (v) DESCRIPTION The government requires the following brand name or equal product – Leica Biosystems Bond-Max Automated Stainer. This product shall contain the following brand name or equal items: BOND RXm Processing Module (Product Code: 49.1501) BOND PM Add Kit – US (Product Code: 21.1993.C) BOND RX System Control Kit (Product Code: 49.1511.A) NXT 1500 VA Line Conditioned On Line UPS (Product Code: 8120973) BOND RXm – INSTALLATION KIT (Product Code: 8119746) (vi) Please refer to Attachment 1 – Purchase Description for details and information The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the contractor shall warrant that the Equipment will be free from material defects for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of delivery. All service performed on this equipment shall be provided by certified and factory trained technicians. Technicians shall have the ability to diagnose the systems on site via remote access. Contractor shall provide any required replacement components due to malfunctions on-site. All travel and labor necessary to repair the instrument and all parts are provided by the vendor at no cost to the customer. Four (4) one-year options for extended service coverage upon expiration of the original warranty shall also be provided. (vii) The delivery location and place of performance shall be 10 Center Drive, Building 10, RM 3D17, Bethesda, MD 20892. (viii) The provision at FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (MAR 2023) is applicable and incorporated by reference into this solicitation. (ix) The provision at FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (NOV 2021) is applicable and incorporated by reference into this solicitation. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Each quote will be evaluated in strict conformity with the evaluation factors. The evaluation will be based upon the demonstrated capabilities of the prospective Contractor in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in the solicitation. The quote will also be evaluated taking into consideration any price reductions for the requirement being ordered. A price reasonableness determination will be made and a best value analysis will be performed. The best value analysis will take into consideration the results of the technical evaluation, price evaluation, and the ability to complete the work within the Government's required schedule. The analysis will document that the award represents the best value to the Government (considering technical evaluation factors, past performance, and price) to meet the Government’s needs. The Government reserves the right to issue an order to the best advantage of the Government, technical merit, price, and other factors considered. All aspects of a quote are subject to discussion, including price, technical approach and terms and conditions. At the completion of discussions, the Contractor will ensure the technical and price quote reflects the mutual understandings of the requirement and if requested, submit a revised technical and price quote to the Contracting Officer. The Government may request clarifying information from the Contractor, as it relates to its quote. If an award will be made without conducting discussions, Contractors may be given the opportunity to clarify certain aspects of their quote (e.g., the relevance of the contract, the Contractor's past performance information, and adverse past performance information to which the Contractor has not previously had an opportunity to respond) or to resolve minor or clerical errors. Discussions will not be held with any Offeror determined to be technically unacceptable. The Government reserves the right to make a single award, multiple awards, or no award at all as a result of the solicitation. In addition, the solicitation may be amended or canceled as necessary to meet the Government’s requirements. A tradeoff process shall be used for this acquisition because it has been determined to be in the best interest of the Government to consider award to other than the lowest priced Offeror or other than the highest technically rated offeror. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are more important than cost or price. For this acquisition, the following considerations will be part of the trade-off process: Technical Evaluation Factors including Past Performance, and Price. The evaluation factors are used by the technical evaluation committee when reviewing the technical quotes. The factors below are listed in order of its relative importance for evaluation purposes. 1. Technical Capability and Functionality NINDS shall evaluate the offeror’s technical approach for overall capability and functionality in relation to the General Requirement, Salient Characteristics, Quantity and Deliverables as described in the Purchase Description. 2. Contract Management and Customer Support NINDS shall evaluate the offeror’s ability to provide a high level of customer service, particularly in the area of initial responsiveness and resolution of device and service problems. Specifically, the Government will evaluate the Offeror’s capability based on its description of any applicable warranty and customer support process. 3. Speed of Delivery, Installation and Set-up NINDS shall evaluate the offeror’s technical approach for completeness, feasibility, soundness and practicality of the proposed approach and work plan for accomplishing the requirements of the Purchase Description. PAST PERFORMANCE The Offeror should provide past performance information. Past performance information should cover a minimum of one (1) year in relevant services and deliveries of comparable systems. The Offeror should provide at least one reference for any project identified under the experience factor that has a performance period within the past three (3) years. For each reference, the offeror should provide the following: (1) Organization or contracting partner's name; (2) Point of contact's (POCs) name and contact information (i.e., current phone numbers and valid email addresses); and (3) a description that precisely explains the general scope and specific requirements of the contract. Offerors will be evaluated based on information obtained from references provided by the offeror, other relevant past performance information obtained from other sources known to the Government, and any information supplied by the offeror concerning problems encountered on the identified contracts and corrective action taken. Furthermore, the Government will assess the relative risks associated with each offeror. Performance risks are those associated with an offeror's likelihood of success in performing the acquisition requirements as indicated by that offeror's record of past performance. The assessment of performance risk is not intended to be the product of a mechanical or mathematical analysis of an offeror's performance on a list of contracts but rather the product of subjective judgment by the Government after it considers all available and relevant information. PRICE EVALUATION Offerors price quote will be evaluated for reasonableness. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the government that a prudent person would pay when consideration is given to prices in the market. Normally, price reasonableness is established through adequate price competition, but may also be determined through cost and price analysis techniques. Price evaluation will not be conducted on any Offeror determined to be technically unacceptable. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS It is anticipated that any contract awarded from this solicitation will contain option periods. In accordance with FAR Clause 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options, (July 1990), the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement, except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government's best interests. Evaluation of option periods and/or quantities will not obligate the Government to exercise the options. An evaluation of this factor will only be conducted on offerors and quotes who have been determined to be technically acceptable. (x) The provision at FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (DEC 2022), is applicable and incorporated by reference into this solicitation. (xi) The provision at FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (DEC 2022), applies to this acquisition. See Attachment 2. (xii) The provision of FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (JUN 2023), applies to this acquisition. See Attachment 3. (xiii) There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xiv) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is 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. Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the Offeror’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the government requirements stated in this solicitation. Basic cost and price information in the Offeror’s proposal must contain sufficient information to allow the Government to perform a basic analysis of the reasonableness of the Offeror to supply the required goods/services. Any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision may include such factors as: past performance; special features required for effective service coverage; trade-in considerations; warranty considerations; maintenance and service coverage availability; serial, product or catalog number(s); product description; delivery terms, and prompt payment discount terms. The Contractor shall submit its quote electronically. Offerors MUST verify the valid certifications, registrations, and Representation and Certifications from the System of Award Management (SAM) applications at www.SAM.gov, which may be indicated on the Offeror’s cover sheet. In addition the vendor Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) 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. All responses must be received no later than August 11, 2023, 11:00 AM EST. Late responses may not be accepted. All responses must reference solicitation number 75N95023Q00326. Responses must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist, Rob Bailey, at rob.bailey@nih.gov with a copy also to the Contracting Officer, Josh Lazarus, at josh.lazarus@nih.gov. For information regarding this solicitation, please contact Rob Bailey by email at rob.bailey@nih.gov or by phone at 301-451-7586. (xvi) DATE QUESTIONS DUE: Questions and requests for clarification must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist, Rob Bailey, at rob.bailey@nih.gov on or before 11:00 AM EST, August 9, 2023. Fax responses will NOT be accepted. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 – Purchase Description (PD) Attachment 2 - FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (DEC 2022) Attachment 3 - FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (JUN 2023) Attachment 4 – Invoice and Payment Instructions

Inactive

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Neuropathology Unit (NPU) is seeking Capability Statements from Other Than Small Business organizations under the North American In... The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Neuropathology Unit (NPU) is seeking Capability Statements from Other Than Small Business organizations under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334516, that are manufacturers of a brand name or equal Leica Biosystems Bond-Max Automated Stainer to be used in the performance of immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections, as well as frozen procured specimens. This instrument is necessary to provide histology services for many research endeavors throughout the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified business sources; and (2) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method. The established NAICS code is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The U.S. Small Business Administration establishes a size standard for 334516 as 1,000 employees or less. BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND OBJECTIVE: The NPU histology services are critical for many research endeavors, especially those focused directly on the examination of human and animal tissues, such as those experiments being performed across the NIH. In support of this critical need, the NPU of the Surgical Neurology Branch provides NINDS/NIH investigators with access to histology services built upon the capabilities of a Leica Bond-Max automated slide stainer, which is proficient in performing immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections, as well as frozen procured specimens. Headed by a board-certified neuropathologist, this Unit continually collaborates to support high-quality histology-based research across the NINDS/NIH, which significantly expands our understanding of many aspects of neurological disorders, including viral infections, neuroinflammation, trauma, exposure to neurotoxic substances, epilepsy, neoplasia, and neurodegenerative diseases. The overall goal of the Neuropathology Unit is to translate scientific findings from across the NINDS/NIH into histology-based diagnostic applications that enhance human health and well-being. The Leica Bond-Max Automated Stainer in this lab is a critical component in carrying out this mission. REQUIREMENT: One brand name or equal Leica Biosystems Bond-Max Automated Stainer with the following equivalent component parts: BOND RXm Processing Module BOND PM Add Kit – US BOND RX System Control Kit NXT 1500 VA Line Conditioned On Line UPS BOND RXm – INSTALLATION KIT Up to 4 years extended warranty and maintenance services Salient Characteristics: The following brand name or equal product features/characteristics are required for this requirement: Module must be compact and fit on a benchtop Provide a high-quality staining, level of reproducibility and output Automated slide staining that provides reliable and reproducible high-quality immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and in situ hybridization staining Multiplex immunofluorescence capability Three-tray system Consistent run times to accommodate incoming workloads Quick staining cycle with an approximate 3.5 hour run time Short run time, coupled with adaptable slide volume to allow for flexible workloads Lean and efficient reagent usage and flexible dispense volumes, to allow reagents to go further while generating less waste for disposal Relatively simple and modifiable user interface Pre-staining customization for probe application/removal and to change incubation time and temperature Staining customization that allows users to use their preferred markers, create their own detection systems and select dispense type Multiplexing with the ability to stain chromogenically and fluorescently and stain between 2-6 markers per slide Capability to mix up to 6 different chromogens Capability to create staining protocols Capable of incorporating multiple rounds of retrieval to support reagent stripping A slide capacity of at least 30 slides Reagent container capacity of 7ml and 30ml A minimum of 36 reagent containers 2L Hazardous waste container capacity 9L External bulk waste container capacity 12 month warranty from the date of delivery. All service performed on this equipment shall be provided by certified and factory trained technicians. Technicians shall have the ability to diagnose the systems on site via remote access. Contractor shall provide any required replacement components due to malfunctions on-site. All travel and labor necessary to repair the instrument and all parts are provided by the vendor at no cost to the customer. Four (4) one-year options to extend service coverage upon expiration of the original warranty. Anticipated Delivery Date: This equipment shall be delivered 4 to 6 weeks after contractor receipt of Purchase Order INSTRUCTIONS: Companies that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required product should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the requirements separately. Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Capability statements must also include the Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information. The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Interested companies are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. The established NAICS code is 334516. Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the products and support services specified in this notice. Also, information must be provided in sufficient details of the respondents’ (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, formal and other training; (b) capability to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) compliance with requirements: Vendors must identify and demonstrate specifically how they will meet the requirements listed above. Any other specific and relevant information about this particular area of procurement that would improve our consideration and evaluation of the information presented is desirable. Documentation may include, but not be limited to, contracts both Government and commercial the organization performed, references, i.e., names, titles, telephone numbers and any other information serving to document the organizations capability, e.g., awards, commendations, etc. The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the requirement and in the capability statement paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. Any business concerns that believe they possess the capability necessary to successfully undertake the work described above must SUBMIT CAPABILITY STATEMENTS ELECTRONICALLY to the Contract Specialist, Rob Bailey at Rob.Bailey@nih.gov, NO LATER THAN 1:00 p.m. EST on June 5, 2023. The Subject line for the submission should include this Sources Sought Number and organization name. NIDA will not accept paper or faxed capability statements. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any contractual agreement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published on SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. CONFIDENTIALITY. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).