Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

STREAMLINED SOLICITATIONFOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION COMPETITIVE Title: Slide Scanner for monkey brain section reconstruction This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for comm... STREAMLINED SOLICITATIONFOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION COMPETITIVE Title: Slide Scanner for monkey brain section reconstruction 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. The solicitation number is NIMH20003883 and the solicitation is issued as an request for quotation (RFQ). 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—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-01, dated December 2018. The associated NAICS code 811219: Other Electronics and Precision Equipment. This requirement is a small business set aside. Purpose and Objectives: We want to modernize our current system for expression analysis in monkey brain sections. and make it more reproducible by upgrading our current system for expression analysis in monkey brain sections. We currently use Microbrightfield (MBF) microscopes, software and workstations to analyze and reconstruct neural circuits from brain histology. We require an automated slide scanner that can fast, reliable and reproducibly acquire images from histologically stained slides and adjust, format and informationally tag them for efficient reconstruction into 3D models of stained brain circuits. Background: In the Section of Section on Neural Coding and Computation we develop molecular tools for studying cognition in old-world monkeys. We want to significantly speed up the development process and make it more reproducible by modernizing and upgrading our current system for expression analysis in monkey brain sections. MBF has collaborated with Huron Digital Pathology to develop a fast and versatile whole slide scanner that can scan up to 6 monkey brain slides at a time at a speed of 2 minutes per slides. The scanner and the associated software should seamlessly integrate with our current MBF hardware and software. Project requirements: The Contractor shall provide one(1) Microbrightfield TissueScope LE Slide Scanner, one(1) workstation and one(1) Microbrightfield BrainMaker software (Brand Name) or equal to the following specifications: The BrainMaker system is a comprehensive and unique system for generating full resolution, automatically aligned 3D image volumes from serial sections scanned using the MBF TissueScope slide scanner. The system has been custom configured to meet our needs and includes the following capabilities:Single source for technical and scientific support for the entire system. MBF scientists and engineers can support all of the software and hardware directly which improves your efficiency and productivity with the system and reduces potential incompatibility or technical problems from multi-vendor solutions. This fully integrated system means that all of the individual hardware components and the software all work together to optimize the performance of the system. This is vital not only to making the system work but making the system work with optimal performance. The software is designed to take advantage of all of the special features of all of the hardware components. The PC is configured to run the software optimally and has been extensively tested by MBF to control the entire system which helps reduce the need for technical support. The BrainMaker® system for auto-alignment of scanned serial sections to create high resolution 3D volumes is a unique product that performs functions that cannot be found in any other system. MBF Bioscience, Inc. is the manufacturer and sole distributor in North America. Anticipated Date of Delivery: 15 days after receipt of award The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. (a) 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 essential requirements 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 the evaluation of responses to determine if, as submitted, the proposal is technically acceptable. Options. N/A (c) 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. 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. The FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. 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. The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. 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. In addition 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.” All responses must be received by 07/7/2020 by 12PMEST and reference number NIMH20003883. Responses may be submitted electronically to Thien Nguyen at thien.nguyen2@nih.gov Fax responses will not be accepted. The name and telephone number of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation. Thien Nguyen Thien.Nguyen2@nih.gov 301-827-0914