Notice_of_Intent_1.pdf

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

Solicitation Number: 75N94024Q00179 Solicitation Type: Sole Source (Non-Competitive) Title: NICHD: Supply: GelCount NAICS / Size Standard: 541715 / 1,000 employees

Introduction

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to Oxford Optronix to provide the GelCount Colony Counter.

Background Information

Scientists in the Section on DNA Replication, Repair, and Mutagenesis (SDRRM) in NICHD are interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of spontaneous and damage-induced mutagenesis in bacteria and eukaryotic cells. As part of these studies, they perform cell survival assays after treating bacteria and human cell lines with various DNA damaging agents. The treated cells are then grown on media to allow the surviving cells to form colonies, which then need to be counted and tabulated. This can be achieved in a highly efficient manner by using a fully-integrated imaging platform specifically conceived for the semi-automated detection, counting and characterization of adherent or non-adherent mammalian cell and bacterial colonies.

Purpose and Objectives

The lab needs this GelCount Colony Counter to fulfill the lab’s mission.

Period of Performance

The period of performance is one year from award.

Contractor Requirements

The contractor needs to provide a GelCount colony counter that includes the following:

• Colony counter for adherent and non-adherent colony forming assays

• PC software

• 2-year comprehensive product warranty

• 12-place tray for 50/60 mm Petri dishes

• 4-place tray for 100 mm Petri dishes

Sole Source Justification

The GelCount, designed and manufactured by Oxford Optronix Ltd., is the only currently available fully integrated imaging platform specifically conceived for the semi-automated detection, counting and characterization of adherent or non-adherent mammalian cell colonies, spheroids, organoids, and bacterial colonies. This GelCount contains the following:

• Proprietary combination of high-resolution imaging and software-controlled sample loading mechanism.

• Intuitive software interface built around a proprietary ‘CHARM’ image processing algorithm for highly accurate and user-customizable detection/counting of colonies, including overlapping colonies.

• Ability to view entire wells, Petri dishes or T25 flasks on-screen at high resolution.

• Full support for adherent (2D) and non-adherent (3D) colony forming assay types.

• High depth-of-field optics for single-pass imaging of colonies and spheroids in up to 4 mm of semi-solid or suspension medium.

• Dramatic throughput advantage over human/manual colony counting.

• Elimination of operator counting bias or fatigue-related counting error.

• Beyond the colony count: intrinsic generation of colony diameter data and histograms.

• Dedicated plate-trays supporting multi-well plates, Petri dishes (100 mm, 50/60 mm and 35 mm) and selected T25 flasks.

• Support for inclusion/exclusion of colonies based on colony size, shape and OD, as well as exclusion of false positives due to debris/artifacts.

• Direct exportation of numerical data parameters to Microsoft® Excel®.

• Choice of raw or bitmap image output formats for ‘off-line’ sample analysis, permanent sample digitisation/archiving and/or exportation/printing.

Regulatory Authority

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 13.106-1(b) Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, or industrial mobilization).

FAR Clauses

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items, is applicable. The Government will award a contract resulting from this notice to the offeror listed above. The following factors shall be used to evaluate the offer: The contractor shall demonstrate its ability to provide the detector listed that meets the specifications provided above.

FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Products and Commercial Services, is applicable. The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov. If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through

(v) of this provision.

FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and Commercial Services applies to this acquisition.

FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Products and Commercial Services applies to this acquisition.

Additional Information

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541715 and the Small Business Size Standard is 1,000 Employees. This acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, therefore the requirements of FAR Part 6, Competitive Requirements, are not applicable and the resultant award will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-05 effective May 22, 2024.

This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

All responses must be received by July 19, 2024 5:00 PM ET and must reference solicitation number 75N94024Q00179. Responses shall be submitted electronically to nicole.freid@nih.gov. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative. All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.

http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:nicole.freid@nih.gov