1803111_LSJ.pdf

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Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition Sole Source

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

a. Federal agency and contracting activity. National Institutes of Health (NIH) / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

b. Sponsoring organization. Division of Intramural Research (DIR), Laboratory of Systems Biology (LSB)

c. Project Officer Information:

Project Officer Name. Mr. Derek Einhaus

Mailing address. 4 Memorial Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892

E-mail address. derek.einhaus@nih.gov

Telephone number. (301) 761-5317

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

a. Acquisition purpose and objectives.

The LSB requires two Leica SP8 TCS x7 Channel white laser confocal equipment items to meet increasing research efforts. LSB is part of NIH / NIAID and has been recognized as a Center of Excellence in biological, in particular, immunological whole systems imaging. Due to the successes of the LSB in these fields it has been determined that the LSB will act as a seed for the newly formed Center for Advanced Tissue Imaging (CAT-I). The goal of the CAT-I will be to provide unprecedented imaging capabilities for the NIH and its collaborators (both intra-and-extramural, public and private) whereby collaborators without the necessary instrumentation to gather the detailed insights required of their research can lean upon our expertise and equipment to answer these questions.

In order to meet these ever growing research requirements and provide reliable, detailed, and multi-faceted capabilities, additional Leica equipment must be acquired. Please note LSB currently utilizes Leica systems. With that being said, this new equipment must be compatible with existing Leica equipment and software, in order to maintain the integrity of on-going research.

b. Project background.

LSB investigates basic aspects of innate and adaptive immune function, with an emphasis on how the body, and more specifically, different cell types within the body discriminate between self and non-self. This discrimination is the crucial mechanism by which the body patrols itself and is able to respond appropriately

Attachment 5 Page 2 upon infection by a microorganism. Using computational biological approaches coupled with more traditional biological experimentation, the LSB strives to build models of how the mammalian immune system responds to pathogens and vaccines. These models allow us to make informed predictions as to how the body will respond when challenged by various vaccine formulations and infectious diseases.

In order to address these questions, it is imperative to know which cell types are present in a given experimental sample and to characterize the interactions between these diverse cell types. Examination of how diverse cells cross-talk and how such activities coordinate during vaccination can only be done in the context of non-disrupted host physiology and thus requires dynamic imaging of intact animals. It is of paramount importance that one can visualize as many cell types as possible for a given specimen. For this very reason, we are interested in using different imaging modalities including fluorescence lifetime imaging to analyze the samples both in the spectral and lifetime spaces to enhance our ability for multiplexed microscopic imaging. With that being said, an expansion of LSB imaging capabilities is necessary.

Previous action was a full and open competition that was awarded on

09/11/2014. HHSN272201401095P

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

a. Project title. Two Leica SP8 TCS x7 channel white laser confocal imaging equipment items

b. Project description.

The Leica True Confocal Scanning (TCS) SP8 equipment will expand NIAID's imaging capabilities. This expanded capability is required to keep up with the ever increasing research efforts. This expansion will allow for additional laboratory imaging techniques not otherwise possible. These techniques/equipment will provide investigative insights to both intra-and-extramural collaborators, public and private sectors, that would otherwise be impossible to obtain thereby accelerating scientific advancement and shed a brighter light on the pressing questions in the fields of immunology, biology, and a host of other relevant disciplines.

Requirement type.

Research & development (R&D) R & D support services Support services (non-R&D) X Supplies/equipment Information technology (IT) Construction Architect-engineer (A & E) services Design-build Other (specify): ____________________

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Type of action.

X New requirement Follow-on to Other (specify): ______________________

Proposed contract/order type. :

X Firm-fixed-price Other fixed-price (specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee): __________ Cost-plus-fixed-fee Other cost reimbursement (specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee): ___________ Time and materials Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements): ___________ Other (specify): ___________ Completion Form Term form

Acquisition identification number. N/A

c. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period. $1,191,657.75

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

X This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 USC 253(c)(1) and FAR Part 6.302-1

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (41 U.S.C. 428a).

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

a. Name and address of the proposed contractor(s).

Leica Microsystems Inc., 2345 Waukegan Road, Bannockburn, IL 60015

b. Nature of the acquisition and proposed unique qualifications of the contractor(s)

Leica Microsystems Inc., is the sole manufacturer of the of the SP8 imaging equipment and they do not have any resellers for this product. Please see attached documentation.

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FedBizOpps notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

A Pre-Solicitation Notice was posted on 09/07/2016 and closed on 09/13/2016. No responses/capability statements were received.

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7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the Government will be fair and reasonable based on comparison to similar equipment.

Commercial pricing.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Several market research techniques were used to identify other possible sources, including review of acquisitions on similar items, queries of internet information sources, contact of knowledgeable individuals in the government and in industry, and review of catalogs and product literature. The results of this research indicated there is only one manufacturer/source for this product.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

Current tissue imaging equipment is built around the Leica equipment/software. With that being said, this system expansion must utilize the same equipment and software to maintain continuity and data integrity between NIAID laboratories. To change systems and variables at this time would be disastrous to current research projects. Any alternatives/changes at this time would compromise numerous, critical research projects and would be detrimental NIAID research efforts.

10. Listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

No other sources have expressed an interest in the proposed acquisition. All Source who respond will be considered.

11. Statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the required supplies or services.

It is the policy of NIAID to promote the use of competitive procedures whenever and wherever possible. In an effort to remove or overcome barriers to competition in the future, the market will be scanned frequently for new companies and products that could satisfy the Government’s requirement. The staff meets regularly with products manufacturers and vendors and attends manufacturer and industry training to keep current on technology. Vendor and trade magazines are scanned for new, open technologies that can satisfy future infrastructure requirements. The agency will continually re-evaluate the products currently being used and will research for the manufacturers and products that will be in the Government’s best interest as best value for future replacement products at the agency’s site and at sites the agency supports. The current situation requires a sole source justification to satisfy requirements. Since there is a continual re-evaluation to products currently being used by the agency for the present requirement, if/when alternatives become available, they will be evaluated for use.