Attachment 1 Purchase Description.pdf

Version 11-30-2016-1 FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

1. Statement of Need and Purpose: The NINDS Office of the Clinical Director, housed within the Division of Intramural Research (DIR), is heavily invested in neuroimmunology research that aims to provide novel insights into a wide range of neurological diseases that are characterized by immune dysregulation. Improving the capacity of the DIR to deeply phenotype immune cells is a priority. The purchase of a Flow cytometry system will significantly advance the ability of the DIR to perform immune phenotyping over the technology that is currently being used for this purpose.

2. Background Information and Objective: The NINDS Division of Intramural Research, as led by the Office of Clinical Director, is actively engaged in research to evaluate role of the immune system in healthy neurological functioning as well as across a wide variety of neurological diseases. Current labs focus their research on topics such neuroimmunology, neurovirology, and neuro‐immune regulation and neuroimmune disorders with protocols studying conditions including the neurological complications after infections with HIV, HSV, HTLV‐1, and SARS‐CoV2 and diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune encephalitis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

One of the most productive approaches to studying these disorders within the OCD has been performing flow cytometry of blood and cerebrospinal fluid in parallel. This approach enables the characterization of immune cells at the scale of the individual cell occurring simultaneously in the systemic circulation and within the central nervous system. Conventional flow cytometry has served the OCD well for many years. Long experience with the technology has also revealed limitations, such as the need for subjective judgement in data acquisition that can lead to errors and limitations to the number of cell markers that can be used simultaneously for phenotyping.

To address these limitations with the current flow cytometry technology, the OCD has worked with an immunophenotyping core program within the NIH DIR to deepen phenotyping and improve data quality. This core group uses a specific flow cytometry system. This product uses novel spectral flow cytometry technology that accommodates immunophenotyping panels with more than 40 different fluorochromes to detect variety of immune markers on different clusters and subclusters of immune cells at the same time, compared to 10‐15 fluorochromes measurable with our current instruments. In addition, using the novel technology facilitates the removal of cellular auto‐fluorescence, a phenomenon that creates an experimental signal that can confound flow cytometry experiments.

Acquiring a specific flow cytometry machine, as described below, will advance the OCD’s ability to perform deep immunological phenotyping.

Objective: To acquire a flow cytometry machine to substantially advance the deep immunophenotyping ability of the NINDS OCD.

3. Generic Name of Product: Flow cytometry system.

4. Purchase Description: Flow cytometry system with 4 Laser V/B/YG/R (48 + 3 Channel) Includes: • 4‐laser flow cytometer. is the system shall be equipped with blue, red, yellow‐ green, and violet lasers, two scattering channels, and up to 48 fluorescence channels, optical design shall enable the use of a wide array of new fluorochrome combinations without reconfiguring the system for each application. This instrument shall include the plate sample loader with mixing and temperature control.

5. Salient characteristics:

• Must have the capability of up to 4 spatially separated lasers, and 48 fluorescence channels simultaneous,

• Ability to discriminate highly overlapping dye combinations (ex: Pacific Blue and BV421;

APC and Alexa Fluor 647)

• Optical system of Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) 16channel semiconductor detection arrays

• Does not require the use of band pass filters and mirrors

• Allows for a highly overlapping of fluorochromes with unmixing acquisition

• Higher sensitivity than 20 fluorescence parameter detection

• APD detectors to enhance the performance with small particles, as exosome and extracellular vesicles (EV)

• Must have two copies of acquisition software which allows the following:

A method of identifying and “unmixing” a spectral signature for each dye

• Automated QC module for standardizing and daily checking the performance of the cytometer Must have a vacuum based fluidic system which enables the following:

• Increased biosafety with minimal risk of aerosolization or back‐dripping when removing sample tubes

• Must display data using 22‐bit 6.5 log decades

• Must use Flat Top laser beam profile with narrow vertical beam height optimized for small particle detection using Violet laser Side Scatter resolution to resolve 0.2 m particles (beads, exosomes) from noise

• computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse

• Automated Sample Loader that includes standard and deep 96 well plate and 40 tube rack loading

• Violet 16 channel with Small Particle Enhanced Performance (V‐SPE)

• Warranty

6. Quantity: One Instrument

7. Delivery, installation and Training:

The Contractor shall deliver the equipment to 9000 Rockville Pike, 10 Center Drive, Bldg. 10/2N‐104, Bethesda, MD 20892 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland within 90 days after receipt of order. The Contractor will provide installation and training of the device upon delivery. The equipment shall be delivered and installed between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm EST, Monday through Friday. Delivery must be Freight on Board (FOB) Destination and include inside delivery. The equipment shall be delivered and installed in coordination with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) at the time the equipment is ready to be shipped.

The Contractor shall deliver and install the system within 90 days after receipt of order.

8. Other Requirements: The Contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified technician to perform the setup and installation of the equipment.

Warranty ‐ The Contractor shall warrant that all equipment will be free from defects for a period of at least two (2) years from the date of installation, inspection by the Government, and acceptance. Warranty service shall include trouble‐shooting capabilities based on complete knowledge of the entire system and as required, parts, labor, and travel for on‐site service calls during normal business hours. Warranty shall not include routine or periodic maintenance services.