Inactive

Purpose and Objectives: The intent of this Sources Sought Notice is to identify potential businesses especially any Serviced Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses and... Purpose and Objectives: The intent of this Sources Sought Notice is to identify potential businesses especially any Serviced Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses and any other Small Business concerns capable of providing a Cryostar NX50 research equipment as listed in the below Statement of Need. These are for the VA Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA 15240. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice should demonstrate the firm's ability, capability, and responsibility to provide the principal components of supplies listed in the Statement of Need. Responses should include the following information: Business name, address, Point of Contact, Business size and representations of your business (SDVOSB, VOSB, Hubzone, WOSB, Large Business, etc.) and if you are a manufacturer or distributor of the items. All information is to be submitted via e-mail at Amanda.Williams4@va.gov. Information provided will not be returned. All responses shall be in the English Language. Responses are due by 4:00 pm (EST) on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. No submissions will be accepted after this date and time. Questions can be submitted electronically to Amanda.Williams4@va.gov. This is a Sources Sought Notice and submissions will be used for informational and planning purposes only. This notice does not constitute a formal Request for Quote (RFQ), nor is the government obligated to issue an RFQ. In addition, the Government does not intend to pay for any information provided under this notice. The Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey. STATEMENT OF NEED: Purpose Our new project will require us to conduct a large amount of imaging experiments to assess brain lesion, changes in expression of multiple proteins with immunofluorescence staining, and morphological structural changes of tissue and cell bodies. The Cryostar NX50 from Thermo Fisher is a high-performance cryostat that we require for preparing optimal tissue slices for the previously listed experiments from fragile tissues of adult mouse brains. This cryostat offers many unique benefits that will allow us to obtain the best tissue sectioning possible for our required imaging experiments. Requirements The system should provide the following: Touch screen interface and intuitive software allows the user to view and adjust the following parameters: temperature, section thickness, remaining blade holder travel, sectioning and trimming thickness and all other instrument settings. Standby mode for energy savings and noise reduction. Green instrument 0.30kW/hr measured during a regular day running mode (7.2kW/day). Specimen retraction. Body contoured design positions the user closer to the chamber and the microtome Manual handwheel lock secures the upper position of specimen head. 42L large open Stainless-steel cryochamber. Cryobar holds 18 freezing stations and one fast freezing station. Constantly cooled chamber at a temperature of -25°C+/-2°C at ambient temperature of +20°C Constantly cooled knife holder at a temperature of -27°C to -20°C +/-2°C at 20°C to 30°C ambient. Active Object head cooling -43°C+/-2°C at 20°C ambient The object head temperature can be user defined. Integrated Peltier fast-freezing device -57°C +/-3°C at 20°C ambient with separate cooling element. Sliding glass door with integrated LED lighting Choice of immediate or scheduled defrost cycle Color coded specimen chucks help to identify specimens. Rapid response temperature-controlled object head. Specimen orientation on orbital 80 XY axis and specimen rotation on Z axis. Section thickness from 0.5 to 500 m. Vertical specimen stroke of 64mm. Blade carrier horizontal feed range of 48mm. Highly stable knife holder delivers consistent section thickness. Specimen Holder Moves vertically only for sectioning, reducing vibration. Knife advances horizontally towards the sample. Microtome with precise stepping motor advance Automated retraction feature which can be switched on or off. Light-touch handwheel minimizes the risk of repetitive motion injury (repetitive strain). Maintenance-free cross-roller bearings Blade carrier for low-profile, high-profile, and c-knife blades Magnetic blade transfer tool supports safe removal of the blade from the blade holder reducing risk of potential injury. Protective blade guard acts as a barrier between the operator and the blade. Removable section waste tray Item # Description/Part Number* Qty 957250H CRYOSTAR NX50 HIGH PROFILE 1 NC1572419 STEEL KNIFE CARRIER 1 1407025 KNIFE-16CM C PROFILE STEEL 2