Notice of Intent.pdf

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

Solicitation Number: 75N92022Q0332 Solicitation Type: Sole Source (Non-Competitive) Title: NHLBI ECIS Z-Theta Instrument NAICS / Size Standard: 334516/ 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 Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to APPLIED BIOPHYSICS, INC. to provide the Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) Z-Theta instrument to the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research (DIR) in accordance with the following information.

Background Information

The Laboratory of Dr. Manfred Boehm, part of the Translational Vascular Medicine Branch (TVMB) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, is involved in the studies of rare genetic diseases affecting cardiovascular system. As part of this research, the lab generates iPSC cells from primary cells obtained from patients with rare genetic diseases and then differentiates them into endothelial cells that play critical role in vascular diseases pathophysiology. ECIS Z-Theta instrument will be used to characterize and study barrier function of patient-specific endothelial cells to study vascular disfunction both in Manfred Boehm lab and other labs within Translational Vascular Medicine Branch.

Currently Dr. Boehm lab and TVMB do not have a system that allows to study barrier function of endothelial cells to support the research program needs. The lab needs to purchase the ECIS Z-Theta instrument in order to perform this work.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this contract is to procure the ECIS Z-Theta instrument for automated wound healing and cell migration assays and for direct measurements of Barrier Function of endothelial cell. This instrument will provide functionalities that currently are required for the Boehm lab research program.

Period of Performance

The period of performance is one year from delivery date.

Contractor Requirements

Demo version is already delivered to the lab and will be purchased as result of this order.

The contractor provided the following instrument with the following specifications:

Item #1: ECIS-ZTheta- ECIS Zθ Controller System including:

• 1 Channel Station Controller.

• Dell Laptop, Windows 10 Pro, i5-8250U Core, 8GB Memory, 500GB Hard Drive.

• ECIS Software for Data Collection & Analysis.

Item #2: ECIS-16WAS - 16 Well Station including electronics & cables.

Item #3: 8W-Arrays - ECIS 8 Well or Flow Arrays of your choice, 1 box (Quantity 2).

Item #4: ECIS-ATC Remote Training Course (Quantity 2).

WARRANTY: All hardware will be fully guaranteed by Applied BioPhysics for one-year parts and labor from date of delivery. Excludes PC option.

EXTENDED WARRANTY: Each additional one-year is available for 5% of the system cost and includes full parts and labor, software upgrades and unlimited phone support. In the event repair is necessary, the customer is responsible for shipping instrument to Applied BioPhysics ; Applied BioPhysics will pay for the return shipping to the customer.

Sole Source Justification

Applied Biophysics is the manufacturer of the ECIS Z-Theta instrument. There are unique features of the ECIS Z-Theta instrument that are not available in the systems from other manufacturers such as:

1. All measurements are done inside the incubator.

2. Cells are measured without the use of labels.

3. Data is taken automatically in Real time with continuous measurements.

4. System can perform multiple assays by optimized cultureware and frequency settings; a single system can perform more than one type of assay creating a productive and cost effective work flow.

Assays available: Permeability/Barrier Function, TEER, Cell Proliferation, Wound Healing, Electroporation, Cytotoxicity, Viral interactions/Cytopathic effects, ECM interactions. Full list at:

https://www.biophysics.com/publications.php

5. Barrier function assays include a modeling function which allows one to look at 3 parameters of barrier integrity.

6. Wound Healing Assays use electrical currents to wound the cells while still in the incubator. Part of this assay is patented and only available with the ECIS Z-Theta System.

7. Remote Training Course.

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 supplies listed that meets the specifications provided above.

FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items, is applicable. An offeror shall complete only paragraphs (b) of this provision if the offeror has completed the annual representations and certificates electronically via http://www.acquisition.gov. If an offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically at the System for Award Management (SAM) website, the offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (p) of this provision.

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

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

Additional Information

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334516 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 2022-05 effective March 7, 2022.

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.

http://www.acquisition.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

All responses must be received by April 13, 2012 at 5:00PM EST and must reference synopsis number 75N92022Q0332. 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.

mailto:nicole.freid@nih.gov