36C24E20Q0203_1.docx

Contract Opportunity Special Notice

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* = Required Field Contract Opportunity Special Notice Animal Rack and Caging System 15212 36C24E20Q0203 N 332999 US Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Regional Procurement Office (RPO) East 323 North Shore Drive, Suite 500 Pittsburgh PA 15212-5319 Contract Specialist Ms. Millicent Covert millicent.covert@va.gov Regional Procurement Office (RPO) - East intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Allentown, Inc., 165 Route 526, Allentown, NJ, 08501, to purchase additional mouse rack and caging for the VA Puget Sound Health Care System - Seattle Division. The following equipment will be purchased:

ITEM INFORMATION

STOCK NUMBER: MA0JV070CN-0011

STOCK NUMBER: PC75HTMV

STOCK NUMBER: MBT7115RHHR

STOCK NUMBER: WBL7115SMD-AMG

STOCK NUMBER: EFS110GRB0-0A4E

STOCK NUMBER: 225470

STOCK NUMBER: EFV113GLB0-0X00

STOCK NUMBER: 225472

Salient characteristics:

The laboratory requires 25 single-sided, individually ventilated mouse housing racks, supplies and exhaust blowers for each rack and 1750 cage set ups (cages, wire bar lid and microisolator top) to fit into the racks. The purchase will include at least a one-year manufacturer warranty on the racks and blowers.

Racks:

Each rack must be able to house 70 mouse cages, all on one side of a rack, so the rack can be placed against a wall in an animal room. Each space must accommodate a cage of at least 75 square inches, large enough to house 5 adult mice according to “The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals”. The racks must have locking casters, so that racks can be moved throughout the facility, but can be secured in place when the rack is situated in an animal room. The rack must have a mechanism to lock the cages in place in each space, plus a visual indication for each space that the cage is locked into position. In addition, the rack spaces must fit Allentown cages 75 PC75JHTMV, wire bar lid WBL7715SMD-AMG and reduced height micro-barrier top MBT7715RHHR. The racks must be made of materials that do not corrode or rust and must be able to withstand water temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Blowers:

The supply blowers must deliver HEPA filtered air to each cage, and the air must be exhausted at the top of the cage and the exhaust blower must HEPA filter the air before exhausting into the room. The blowers must be able to be set to provide positive pressure ventilation, at least 50 air changes per hour, to each cage. The blowers must be quiet, 20dBA or less, to provide a quiet workspace for laboratory workers and a quiet environment for the animals. The blowers must be able to be mounted on top of the cage racks. Blowers must be able to plug into a standard wall outlet. Blowers must have a display that reads real time pressure differential, and temperature, humidity of supply and exhaust air.

Cages and cage components:

The cages must be compatible with our current rack systems, so we can use the caging in racks we already have in house. This will help us conserve storage space, since we will be able to stack the new cages with our existing cages. The cages must be clear, to allow visualization of the animals. They must be made of plastic, to be light weight. The cages must be able to be autoclaved multiple times without melting, cracking or hazing. The wire bar lids must be made of stainless steel to resist rust and corrosion, and able to accommodate Hydropac water bags or up to an 8-ounce water bottle. The cage lids must be made of high temperature plastic so they are light weight and can be autoclaved. The lids must be able to accommodate a Reemay filter, so they can provide filtered air to the animals even when the cage is not on the rack.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Any responsible sources who wish to identify their interest and capability to provide this equipment or equipment that is compatible must notify this Contracting Specialist at millicent.covert@va.gov , no later than Friday, July 24, 2020, 11:59 AM EST. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Upon receipt of the interested parties' notification, the Contracting Officer will determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with sole source negotiations.