36C24125Q0875.docx

SUBJECT*

650-25-4-741-0229: Campden Vibrating Microtome (VA-25-00088618)

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Providence VA Medical Center

830 Chalkstone Ave.

Providence RI

CONTACT INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) Contracting Officer (90C) 1 VA Center Augusta ME 04330

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Andrew Simard andrew.simard@va.gov Email Only

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Pre-Solicitation Notice of intent to award a sole source contract. This is not a solicitation. The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to negotiate a sole source contract with:

LAFAYETTE INSTRUMENT COMPANY, LLC

3700 Sagamore PKWY N Lafayette, Indiana 47904-1066

MVBQJL4JQ6G1

This is not a solicitation. The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award Campden Vibrating Microtome located at the VAMC Providence, RI. LAFAYETTE INSTRUMENT COMPANY, LLC is the only known vendor capable of providing the Vibrotome 9000SMZ supporting research goals. The contractor will provide the required equipment. Since the intent is to procure this on a sole source basis, no solicitation will be posted to Contracting Opportunities SAM.gov.

The authority for this action is FAR 6.302.1-1 Only One Responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The NAICS 334516. The size standard is 1,000 employees. The PSC/FSC is 6640.

Interested persons may contact the Contracting Specialist by email at andrew.simard@va.gov regarding this procurement.

The determination to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Response must be received by 09/18/2025 NLT 10:00am EST.

Presolicitation Notice Presolicitation Notice

Presolicitation Notice

STATEMENT OF WORK

We are requesting purchase of the Campden Vibrating Microtome, 9000SMZ. The equipment is a high-precision programmable Vibratome, which includes “Opti-Cal”z-axis calibration device, demountable tissue bath and sample blades in stainless steel and ceramic. This scientific equipment will be used with our requested Cardiac Slice System by IonOptix.

A vibratome is a type of microtome used to section biological tissue using a vibrating stainless steel or ceramic blade. Unlike rotary microtomes, cryostats, or paraffin-embedded slicing methods, a vibratome allows for the preparation of unfixed or lightly fixed tissue sections without the need for freezing or embedding in wax. The Campden 9000SMZ Vibratome is the most advanced vibrating microtome, engineered for precise sectioning of live and fixed tissue. The instrument delivers unmatched control, slice quality, and tissue viability - making it the ideal vibratome for our research.

In cardiac research, detailed insight into mechanical performance is crucial for developing targeted therapies and understanding how the heart adapts to pathological conditions. Pressure-volume (PV) loops provide a detailed representation of the heart's functions during each beat. One loop represents a complete cardiac cycle and shows how pressure and volume within the ventricle change as the heart fills with blood, contracts, ejects blood, and relaxes. PV loops are used in clinical care where in-depth cardiac mechanics are necessary to guide treatment or evaluate therapeutic interventions. Nowadays, in addition to traditional catheterization for PV loops in live animals, a technique using living myocardial slices (LMS) to study cardiac mechanical performance has been developed. The Campden Vibrating Microtome has the ability to slice live tissue, as compared with other instruments that only slice dead tissue. This new technique is emerging as a powerful tool to advance cardiovascular research for the development of novel therapeutics.

Features of the 9000SMZ Vibratome; High-Precision Vibrating Microtome

· Over 40 years experience with >4000 vibrating microtome publications.

· 5-Year Warranty.

· Proven high-quality slices with high cell viability.

· No chatter marks.

· Variable blade frequency & amplitude to cater for all tissue types.

· Precise control of advance speed, adjustable during slicing, for the perfect slice.

· Measure & correct blade Z-axis deflection (down to 0.1µm), essential for quality slices.

· Slice window mode for fast, automatic sectioning.

· Clear visibility of tissue; positional adjustments can be made during slicing.

· Store up to 8 user slice profiles for easy recall.

The requested laboratory equipment will not be on the VA network.

Equipment will be located in Bldg 35, wet lab area.

POC in lab area is Peng Zhang, email Peng.Zhang@va.gov; Peng_Zhang@Brown.edu

Shipping address is:

Providence VA Medical Center 830 Chalkstone Ave.

Bldg 8, Warehouse Providence, RI 02908

Suggested Vendor info:

Lafayette Instrument 3700 Sagamore Pkwy N Lafayette, IN 47904-1066

UEI: MVBQJL4JQ6G1

EIN: 862903190

Gov’t POC Benjamin Mangrich, CEO

(765) 423-1505

Records Management Language for Statement of Work (SOW):

The following standard items relate to records generated in executing the contract and should be included in a typical procurement contract:

1. Citations to pertinent laws, codes and regulations such as 44 U.S.C chapters 21, 29, 31 and 33; Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552); Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a); 36 CFR Part 1222 and Part 1228.

2. Contractor shall treat all deliverables under the contract as the property of the U.S. Government for which the Government Agency shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest.

3. Contractor shall not create or maintain any records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract using Government IT equipment and/or Government records.

4. Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected by the Freedom of Information Act.

5. Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any Government Agency records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

6. The Government Agency owns the rights to all data/records produced as part of this contract.

7. The Government Agency owns the rights to all electronic information (electronic data, electronic information systems, electronic databases, etc.) and all supporting documentation created as part of this contract. Contractor must deliver sufficient technical documentation with all data deliverables to permit the agency to use the data.

8. Contractor agrees to comply with Federal and Agency records management policies, including those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974. These policies include the preservation of all records created or received regardless of format [paper, electronic, etc.] or mode of transmission [e-mail, fax, etc.] or state of completion [draft, final, etc.].

9. No disposition of documents will be allowed without the prior written consent of the Contracting Officer. The Agency and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of the Agency or destroyed without regard to the provisions of the agency records schedules.

Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, this contract. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and Agency guidance for protecting sensitive and proprietary information

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