Sources_Sought_MicroTime_200.pdf

Sources Sought Notice No.: 75N92019Q0090 Title: MicroTime 200 System

This is a small business sources sought notice. This is not a solicitation for proposals or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses;

woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition.

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) does not intend to award a contract based on responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this sources sought notice, the NHLBI may issue a request for quote (RFQ). However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NHLBI shall arise as a result of a response to this sources sought notice or the NHLBI’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement.

The NHLBI is seeking capability statements from all eligible small business concerns under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334516 with a size standard 1,000. All eligible small business concerns responding to this sources sought announcement must have the capabilities to provide the equipment as stated below.

Background

The Laboratory of Protein Conformation and Dynamics is dedicated to biophysical studies of protein conformation and dynamics. We are developing a molecular understanding of protein-membrane interactions and how they modulate the process of amyloid formation in cells. We are interested in both pathological and functional amyloids and their impacts on human health. We integrate a broad set of complementary techniques including fluorescence, circular dichroism, Raman, and infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, to study protein structural changes on the individual residue, secondary structural and microscopic levels. We have been using confocal fluorescence microscopy to examine protein binding to lipid membranes in vitro and study subcellular protein distribution in cells.

However, all current measurements are intensity-based and thus, are limited in the information that can be gained.

Purpose and Objectives

The NHLBI Division of Intramural Research (DIR) requires a system that meets the following specifications:

A system capable of guaranteed detection down to single molecule level and perform time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime imaging, lifetime based Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), and fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (FLCS).

Turnkey System Requirement: All components (inverted microscope, objectives: 20x PlanAchromat, 40x PlanAchromat, and 60x Ultra-Planapochromat water immersion NA 1.2) laser excitation, photon counting electronics, detectors, computer, and software) included with modular equipment for highest flexibility.

Microscope Requirement: Built on an automated IX83 Olympus microscope with autofocus capability, backport and left port shall be available for future experiments.

Excitation Requirement: Computer-controlled laser driver; picosecond lasers operable in both cw/pulsed modes and variable repetition rates from 31.25 kHz up to 80 MHz; 2 integrated lasers (405 and 485 nm) upgradable to 5 lasers with a range of wavelengths including 560, 590, and 640 nm within one laser combining unit; pulsed interleaved excitation; addition port for external excitation sources; includes built-in beam diagnostics for adjustment of laser focus position.

Scanning Speed Requirement: Up to 2.6kHz line frequency (bi-directional scanning); 5.2 frames per second @ 512 × 512 pixel; pixel dwell times from 0.5 µs to 1 s.

Counting Electronics Requirement: 4 independent input channels and a common sync channel (up to 1.2 GHz); 32 bit; < 1ns dead time per channel, with < 100 ps time resolution; 65536-time channels for accurate histogramming; time-tagged time-resolved file formats with individual photon records with absolute arrival time.

Detection System Requirement: light tight construction for two detectors with option extension to 4 detectors; dual detector power supply with count rate displace and security shut down function;

simultaneous data collection up to four channels; easily exchangeable and freely configurable optical filters including spectral filters and polarization beam splitting for anisotropy measurements; identical beam path in different experiments; PMA Hybrid detectors (afterpulsing-free with high sensitivity and excellent time resolution (for FLIM and FCS), spectral detection from 300 to 720 nm, temporal resolution of 120 ps, active temperature stabilization using a peltier cooler, ensuring very low dark counts).

Software/Data Analysis Requirement: single software for data acquisition and multiple analyses using time-tagged time-resolved (TTTR) mode for FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging) and FLC(C)S (Fluorescence Lifetime (Cross) Correlation Spectroscopy; 64 bit system; GUI for customized measurement and analysis processes; complete control of all electronically accessible functions of the instrument like lasers, shutters, and scanning; real time parallel calculation and display of up to 4 different previews (FLIM, TCSPC histogram, FCS, FCCS, and time-trace) during data acquisition for fast sample evaluation; all data and images are saved in a lossless compact binary format along with all acquisition parameters;

automated analysis routines for multiple FLIM, FRET and FCS measurements; imaging measurement analysis of (time-gated) fluorescence intensity imaging, FLIM, fluorescence lifetime histogram, time-gated analysis, TCSPC histogram for region of interest, FLIM-FRET analysis calculating FRET efficiency, FRET radius, amplitude ratio, etc. in each image pixel, intensity based FRET, bleedthrough correction, pattern matching, anisotropy imaging; decay curve fitting with an exponential decay function up to 5th order and numerical reconvolution with the IRF; IRF reconstruction from measurement decays; global fit; fully specified file format allowing data import and unrestricted development of custom analysis software.

Capability Statement / Information Sought

Capability statements must demonstrate the contractor’s ability to provide a system that meets the above listed specifications. The following information shall be included in the capability statement:

- The respondents’ DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) pursuant to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 334516 with a small business size standard of 1,000.

Closing Statement

Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed three (3) single-sided pages (including all attachments) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to provide the equipment described above. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address). Responses will be reviewed only by NIH personnel and will be held in a confidential manner.

All capability statements sent in response to this sources sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Jonathan Lear, Contracting Officer, at john.lear@nih.gov in either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by May 8, 2019 at 9:00AM, EST and must reference synopsis number 75N92019Q0090. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time to be considered.

Disclaimer and Important Notes

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to provide the equipment. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and/or solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

mailto:john.lear@nih.gov mailto:john.lear@nih.gov