FT-IR bid proposal FINAL.docx

K5965

Washington State Department of Agriculture

RFQQ FORMAL SOLICITATION

K5965

Dear Applicant:

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is soliciting a deliverables-based agreement with the following project scope:

Background

The Washington State Department of Agriculture, Food Safety & Consumer Services (FS&CS) Laboratory in Olympia, WA, analyzes ready-to-eat food, dairy, animal feed products, and environmental samples for quality, pathogenic microorganism, filth, and prohibited materials. Our animal feed laboratory section examines animal feed samples microscopically for filth and prohibited material, such as whole or parts of insects, animal tissues, bone fragments, hair, and other ruminant related materials that may come in contact with animal feed. One of the challenges for our analysts is to distinguish microscopically and chemically pieces of insects, animal tissues, bone fragments from plant materials and minerals, and other fine particles in a timely fashion. Our laboratory is hoping to advance toward newer technologies that allow us to make improvement in our field of work. In order to enhance our ability to overcome these challenges, the Washington State Department of Agriculture FS&CS Lab is planning to acquire benchtop equipment with dual purposes in mind where the laboratory can use it as a microscope to look through samples, visually identify and capture their images. It can also be used to analyze the same specimen based on their chemical components. The dual functions of this equipment will allow us to obtain more precise and accurate pictures of the specimen as we are examining.

Project Description (requirements) Washington State Department of Agriculture FS&CS Lab is planning to acquire a compact benchtop Fourier Transform Infrared microscope (FT-IR Microscope). It is a specialized microscope that combines the capabilities of traditional light microscopy with infrared spectroscopy, allowing labs to visually identify and chemically analyze very small portions of a human food or animal feed sample essentially revealing the chemical composition of microscopic regions, and at the same time, microscopically identify the potential contaminant within a material. An FT-IR Microscope will have the following features:

1. It’s compact and standalone that would fit on a small benchtop space.

2. Easy to use and install without required special electrical outlet.

3. Low energy consumption.

4. The detector of an FT-IR microscope has high sensitivity and it must be operated without liquid nitrogen.

5. It is equipped with a solid state control laser with long life time. The solid state control laser should work without the need to replace it in the life time of the system.

6. An FT-IR Microscope is fully motorized with automated hardware.

7. The system is equipped with an advanced attenuated total reflectance (ATR) objective. Switching from visual inspection to ATR measurement (and back) is software controlled and completely automated. It allows a fast, reliable and sensitive analysis of samples without the need of time-consuming sample preps.

8. An interferometer should provide high sensitivity, and it is also insensitive to vibrations and temperature fluctuations from an ambient environment.

9. Accommodates samples of up to 40 mm in height.

10. Lead time – WSDA’s funding expires on June 30th, 2025. The FT-IR microscope must be delivered by June 15th, 2025. Please indicate whether your firm or team can meet this inflexible deadline.

Desirables:

1. Provides 10-year free warranty for FT-IR Microscope. Please indicate warranty coverage and length of coverage. If you are a reseller, explain how WSDA will enforce the warranty with the product manufacturer. Include manufacturer contacts and other pertinent information.

2. Installs newly purchased FT-IR Microscope. Provide expertise to install and calibrate the new FT-IR Microscope. If using a 3rd party vendor, provide their experience, qualifications and warranty in FT-IR Microscope installation.

3. Provides training to the lab staff in the operation of FT-IR Microscope.

Performance:

The period of performance of any contract awarded as a result of this Letter to Request Bids is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about 02/26/2025.

The WSDA does not anticipate the selected contractor’s involvement beyond 06/15/2025. However, if WSDA determines it is necessary to increase the contractor’s involvement, WSDA may amend any awarded contract to increase the contractor’s involvement. Such an amendment, if any, to increase or decrease the dollar value and extend the period of performance shall be at the sole discretion of WSDA.

Contractor Qualifications:

The bidding is open to individuals or organizations that meet the following minimum criteria:

1. Bidder must have a current Statewide Vendor number for the State of Washington with 30-day payment terms or be willing to sign up as a Statewide Vendor within 30 days of being awarded a contract. Statewide Vendor number must be assigned prior to request for payment related to any contract. https://ofm.wa.gov/it-systems/statewide-vendorpayeeservices/

2. Bidder must have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience providing laboratory instrument manufacturing/services.

Bidders who do not meet these minimum qualifications shall be deemed to be non-responsive and therefore will not be evaluated or assigned a score.

Bid Content:

1. Please fill out the eclosed Bid Sheet and return to agrprocurement@agr.wa.gov by March 12, 2025

Bids will be evaluated by WSDA based on the response to the information requested above.

All items must be addressed for the bid to be considered responsive.

Project Deliverables:

It is WSDA’s desire to enter into a fixed price, deliverable-based contract with a Proposer to provide the services requested in this RFQQ. The proposed fee must be an all-inclusive fee based on the total costs for providing the system.

Proprietary Information & Public Disclosure:

Any information contained in the bid that the bidder desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under the provisions of RCW 42.56, must be clearly designated. Please cite the statute and briefly explain how it applies to the proprietary information supplied in the bid. The page and the particular exception/s from disclosure upon which the bidder is making the claim must be identified. Each page claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the word “confidential” printed on the lower right-hand corner of the page. Marking the entire bid as confidential will be neither accepted nor honored and may result in disclosure of the entire bid. The bidder must be reasonable in designating information as confidential.

After the contract is signed, the bid shall be deemed public records as defined in RCW 42.56.

Confidentiality is available only to the limited extent allowed in state law. To the extent consistent with chapter 42.56 RCW, the Agency will maintain the confidentiality of all such information marked confidential or proprietary. If the scope of a request made pursuant to RCW 42.56 includes the Contractor’s proprietary or confidential information and the Agency intends to release the information, the Agency will notify the Contractor of the request and the date the records will be released to the requester. If Contractor desires to prevent disclosure, Contractor must obtain a court order enjoining disclosure. If the Contractor fails to obtain such court order, the Agency will release the requested information.

Bid Submission:

All bids shall be submitted electronically to agrprocurement@agr.wa.gov on the Bid Sheet. Please reference K5965 in the subject line of your response. The deadline for submission of responses is 03/12/2025 at 5:00 PM (Pacific Standard Time). Late bids will not be accepted and will automatically be disqualified from consideration.

Bids are to be e-mailed to:

Washington State Department of Agriculture Contracts and Procurement Program Attn: FT-IR Solicitation Email: AGRProcurement@agr.wa.gov

Bidders assume the risk for the method of delivery chosen. WSDA assumes no responsibility for delays caused by any delivery service or for problems with Bidder’s email.

Please complete the attached Bid Sheet and return it to agrprocurement@agr.wa.gov.

Estimated Timeline of Bid Submission:

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business Participation:

In accordance with chapter 39.19 RCW, the state of Washington encourages participation in all of its contracts by firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this solicitation or on a subcontractor basis. However, no preference will be included in the evaluation of bids, no minimum level of participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award, and bids will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis.

For information on certified firms, contractors may contact OMWBE at 360/664-9750 or http://www.omwbe.wa.gov.

WSDA reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any or all bids prior to the execution of a contract. This Request for Bids does not obligate WSDA to contract for the services specified herein. The final selection, if any, will be the bid that in the opinion of WSDA best meets the requirements set forth in the Request for Bids and is in the best interest of the state of Washington. The WSDA is not obligated to select the lowest price bid. WSDA shall not be responsible for any costs associated with a bidder’s preparation of a bid in response to this RFQQ to Request Bids.

WSDA, at its sole discretion, may after evaluating the written bids elect to select the top-scoring firms as finalists for an oral presentation or demonstration. Should oral presentations or a demonstration become necessary, WSDA will contact the top-scoring firm(s) from the written evaluation to schedule a date, time and location. Any commitments made by the Proposer at the oral interview will be considered binding. The oral presentation will determine the apparent successful Bidder.

Any Bidder who has submitted a bid and been notified that they were not selected for contract award may request a debriefing. Complaints and protests may be made only by Contractors who submitted a response to this solicitation document and who have participated in a debriefing conference. This procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Contractors under this procurement.

In submitting a bid in response to this Letter to Request Bids, the bidder agrees to accept the terms set forth in this RFQQ.

Any requests for information about this project are to be directed to Yong Liu, yong.liu@agr.wa.gov

Thank you for considering this solicitation.

Sincerely, Tryg Hoff Washington State Department of Agriculture AGRProcurement@agr.wa.gov

FT-IR Microscope Bid Sheet Please answer each question and return by Bid Proposal Due Date

Manufacturer _____________________________________________ Supplier _________________________________________________ Make ___________________________________________________ Model ___________________________________________________

1. Is FT-IR microscope standalone, and fit on a small benchtop space?

2. Can IF-IR install without special electrical outlets or connections?

3. What is the Microscopes energy consumption?

4. Can FT-IR be operated without use of liquid nitrogen?

5. What is the Warranty of the Laser and unit?

6. Is FT-IR Microscope fully motorized with automated hardware?

7. Are ATR measurements software controlled and completely automated?

8. Is unit sensitive to vibrations/ temperature fluctuations or other environmental issues?

9. Can FT-IR be delivered by June 15, 2025

10. Does company use a 3rd party vendor for installation?

11. Will company provide expertise to install and calibrate the new FT-IR Microscope?

12. Will company provide training to the lab staff in the operation of FT-IR Microscope?

13. What is the units full cost?

14. Does company agree to conditions of this RFQQ?

15. Does company have references of users in the model type?

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