36C24E23Q0029_1.docx

Special Notice Special Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

Veterans Health Administration Regional Procurement Office (RPO) East 323 North Shore Drive, Suite 500 Pittsburgh PA 15212-5319

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Ms. Millicent Covert millicent.covert@va.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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DESCRIPTION

Regional Procurement Office (RPO) - East intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Becton, Dickinson, and Company to purchase the BD FACSSymphony A3 Cell Analyzer for the Research Service at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The following equipment and configuration will be purchased:

ITEM INFORMATION

Multiple VA-funded research projects at the Ann Arbor facility are currently supported by a cell analyzer (LSRII flow cytometer) that was originally purchased from BD over 15 years ago. The instrument and the information it provides are central to the research projects of multiple VA investigators on a daily basis, which has led to the generation of publications, grants, and high-quality research data. BD no longer provides support for the LSRII flow cytometer. Without the regular maintenance and repairs that BD provided, the LSRII is becoming inoperable. BD offers a replacement under its new line of FACSSymphony flow cytometers. It is necessary to continue with BD instruments for the following reasons:

· Flow cytometers are highly specialized machines with unique laser configurations and filter sets to detect fluorochromes that are excited and emit a signal at a specified wavelength. BD’s replacement cytometer will have the same laser configuration of the LSR II. The same fluorescent panel that investigators designed for use in their experiments on the LSRII will also work in the FACS Symphony. Importantly, this means that investigators who have collected data on the LSR II will not have to repeat experiments and will not be in jeopardy of losing valuable data. Switching to a cell analyzer from a new vendor would lead to delays in the completion of experiments and additional costs and waste of valuable resources, as experiments would need to be validated and repeated on the new equipment.

· Trade in of LSRII can only be done with BD. BD is the only company capable of providing the replacement equipment needed without the Veteran’s Health Administration experiencing substantial duplication of cost, resources, and time, that could not be expected to be recovered through competition.

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 Officer at Millicent.Covert@va.gov NLT Friday, December 2, 2022 by 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.

Special Notice