CSS - 75N95023Q00476.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

COMPETITIVE

Classification code: 6650

Title: Leica Vibrating Blade Microtome or Equal

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

The solicitation number is 75N95023Q00476 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation

(RFQ).

This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-04, dated 2 June 2023.

The solicitation is unrestricted and open to all offerors. The associated NAICS code is 334516 and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Supplies or Services and Prices

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has a requirement for a Leica Vibrating Blade Microtome or Equal.

The Contractor shall deliver and install the required equipment within 2 to 4 weeks after receipt of order. Delivery must be FOB Destination and must include inside installation. The equipment shall be delivered and installed between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm, Bethesda, MD local prevailing time, Monday through Friday. The equipment shall be delivered and installed in coordination with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician to perform setup and installation.

Quantity PRODUCT # PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 1 Leica 1491200S001 Leica VT1200 S - Configuration 1 Leica 14041157009 MQF52057 Power Cord various NEMA5 15 1 Leica 9CON-SLVR-VT1200S MEB55835 VT1200 S SILVER SERVICE

Background and Requirement The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Research in the Cellular Neurophysiology Section focuses on circuit and cellular properties of dopaminergic neurons located in the midbrain. We are interested in the physiology of a subset of dopamine neuron located in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) that undergo selective cell death in Parkinson’s patients.

Specifically, we are interested in understanding how synaptic and intrinsic conductances (particulary calcium permeable conductances, ie voltage gated calcium channels and glutamate activated receptors) differ among subpopulations dopamine neurons with the hope that this may provide insight to why SNc dopamine neurons are particularly vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease. Our goal is to identify novel physiological and genetic markers in single SNc dopamine neurons which may be useful in defining subpopulations of these neurons in a meaningful way.

This is an absolutely essential piece of equipment in our laboratory that is used by nearly everyone in their past and current studies. In fact, 100% of the published studies out of our laboratory have depended on tissue slices generated by a vibrating blade microtome. Thus, this is equipment is central to our laboratory’s experimental work. In order to study the physiology of dopamine system neurons, our lab uses the approach where we examine their excitability in live tissue slices. Access to tissue slices allow us to directly probe the activity of neurons with the highest level of experimental precision. In order to obtain tissue slice, we need to use a high quality tissue slicer with high mechanical stability.

Thus the Leica VT1200S vibrating blade microtome or equal is absolutely critical equipment in our laboratory.

Salient characteristics:

The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that “equal” products must meet are as follows:

a. The system must have fully automated vibrating blade microtome for section fixed and unfixed specimens.

b. The system must include robust and stable basic instrument with blade holder and adjustment screw to minimize vertical deflection below 1 um.

c. The system must include blade holder turnable by 90° for safe bladeinsertion of whole razor-injector or sapphireblades. Clearance angle adjustment of 15°, 18°or 21°. Optimized blade holder design forminimised buffer spillage.

d. The system must include support for removable ice tray, double walled buffer tray or optional measurement device "Vibrocheck", for vertical deflection of the blade.

Contract Type and Period of Performance

It is the Government’s intent to issue a Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order. The Contractor shall deliver and install the equipment within 2-4 weeks after receipt of order. 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). The contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician to perform setup and installation.

Place of Performance

National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

(NINDS)

Porter Neuroscience Bldg 35 Convent Dr., Rm 3C-1002

Bethesda, MD 20893(FOB Destination)

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) The following Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) will represent the Government for the purpose of this contract:

[To be specified at time of award]

The COR is responsible for: (1) monitoring the Contractor's technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the Contracting Officer changes in requirements;

(2) interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; (3) performing technical evaluation as required; (4) performing technical inspections and acceptances required by this contract; and (5) assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance.

The Contracting Officer is the only person with authority to act as agent of the Government under this contract. Only the Contracting Officer has authority to: (1) direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of work; (2) modify or extend the period of performance; (3) change the delivery schedule;

(4) authorize reimbursement to the Contractor for any costs incurred during the performance of this contract; (5) otherwise change any terms and conditions of this contract; or (6) sign written licensing agreements. The Government may unilaterally change its COR designation.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(a) The Government will award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation on the basis of lowest price technically acceptable. Technical acceptability will be evaluated based upon the following:

1. The Offeror must include all brand name or equal equipment detailed in the project requirements in its quotation.

2. Or Equal equipment must meet or exceed each salient characteristic in the table below.

Brand Name or Equal Leica VT1200S vibrating blade microtome (inclusive of all system components and peripherals).

Salient characteristics:

The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that “equal” products must meet are as follows:

Yes/No Comment/Reference

The system must have fully automated vibrating blade microtome for section fixed and unfixed specimens.

The system must include robust and stable basic instrument with blade holder and adjustment screw to minimize vertical deflection below 1 um.

The system must include blade holder turnable by 90° for safe bladeinsertion of whole razor-injector or sapphireblades. Clearance angle adjustment of 15°, 18°or 21°. Optimized blade holder design forminimised buffer spillage

The system must include support for removable ice tray, double walled buffer tray or optional measurement device "Vibrocheck", for vertical deflection of the blade.

In addition to completing the table above, the respondents must provide brochures and/or published technical specifications that provide evidence of or equal equipment’s ability to meet the specifications in the table above.

(b) Options – Not applicable and will not be evaluated.

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Items, with its offer. (see Attachment 2)

The FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference.

Addendum to FAR clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. The additional contract terms and conditions are as follows.

52.204-7 System for Award Management (OCT 2018) 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance. (OCT 2018) 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (AUG 2020) 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (AUG 2020) 52.204-20 Predecessor of Offeror (AUG 2020) 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (NOV 2021)

52.242-15 Stop-Work Order (Aug. 1989)

(a) The Contracting Officer may, at any time, by written order to the Contractor, require the Contractor to stop all, or any part, of the work called for by this contract for a period of 90 days after the order is delivered to the Contractor, and for any further period to which the parties may agree. The order shall be specifically identified as a stop-work order issued under this clause. Upon receipt of the order, the Contractor shall immediately comply with its terms and take all reasonable steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to the work covered by the order during the period of work stoppage.

Within a period of 90 days after a stop-work is delivered to the Contractor, or within any extension of that period to which the parties shall have agreed, the Contracting Officer shall either --

(1) Cancel the stop-work order; or

(2) Terminate the work covered by the order as provided in the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government, clause of this contract.

(b) If a stop-work order issued under this clause is canceled or the period of the order or any extension thereof expires, the Contractor shall resume work. The Contracting Officer shall make an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both, and the contract shall be modified, in writing, accordingly, if --

(1) The stop-work order results in an increase in the time required for, or in the Contractor’s cost properly allocable to, the performance of any part of this contract; and

(2) The Contractor asserts its right to the adjustment within 30 days after the end of the period of work stoppage; provided, that, if the Contracting Officer decides the facts justify the action, the Contracting Officer may receive and act upon the claim submitted at any time before final payment under this contract.

(c) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for the convenience of the Government, the Contracting Officer shall allow reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order in arriving at the termination settlement.

(d) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for default, the Contracting Officer shall allow, by equitable adjustment or otherwise, reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order.

(End of Clause)

FAR 52.211-6 BRAND NAME OR EQUAL (AUG 1999)

(a) If an item in this solicitation is identified as “brand name or equal,” the purchase description reflects the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government’s needs. The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that “equal” products must meet are specified in the solicitation.

(b) To be considered for award, offers of “equal” products, including “equal” products of the brand name manufacturer, must-

(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;

(2) Clearly identify the item by-

(i) Brand name, if any; and

(ii) Make or model number;

(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and

(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the solicitation requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.

(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate “equal” products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer.

(d) Unless the offeror clearly indicates in its offer that the product being offered is an “equal” product, the offeror shall provide the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

(End of provision)

FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders–Commercial Items (Jun 2023), applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference. The following clauses listed in FAR clause 52.212-5 that are applicable to the acquisition are:

52.209-6 Protecting the Government’s Interest when Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (Nov 2021) 52.204-27 Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (Jun 2023) 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jun 2020) 52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003) 52.222-19 Child Labor—Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Dec 2022) 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015) 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016) 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities (Jun 2020) 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Nov 2021) 52.223-11 Ozone-Depleting Substances and High Global Warming Potential Hydrofluorocarbons (Jun 2016) 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Jun 2020) 52.225-1 Buy American – Supplies (Oct 2022) 52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (Feb 2021) 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award Management (Oct. 2018)

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text. Offerors MUST complete the provisions at 52.204-24 and 52.204-26 in accordance with FAR 4.2103 Procedures and submit with its quotation.

• FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) (See Attachment 2)

• FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) (See Attachment 2)

• FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (JUN 2023) (See Attachment 3)

• NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions with IPP (Updated 4/21/2022) (See Attachment 4)

There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition.

The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is not applicable to this requirement.

All questions shall be received via email to Shayna Simpson at Shayna.simpson@nih.gov before 10:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.

Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the offeror’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the technical evaluation criteria.

In addition, the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received on or before 10:00 AM, Eastern Standard Time, on Monday, August 28, 2023, and reference RFQ number 75N95023Q00476. Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f). Responses shall be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist at Shayna.simpson@nih.gov. Fax responses will not be accepted.

For information regarding this solicitation, please contact the Contract Specialist, Shayna Simpson at Shayna.simpson@nih.gov.

Attachments:

Attachment 1 - Purchase Description Attachment 2 - Additional Terms and Conditions Attachment 3 - FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and Commercial

Services (JUN 2023) Attachment 4 - NIH Invoicing Instructions with IPP http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:Shayna.simpson@nih.gov