P02 Sources Sought Notice Vibrating Microtome.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY for Market Research only. It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses to this Sources Sought must be in writing. The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potentially qualified businesses interested in and capable of providing the requested commodities.

The NAICS Code is 334516; size standard is 1,000 employees; PSC is 6640.

Method of Procurement: Unrestricted – no set-aside

Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) company name b) address (c) socio-economic status, (d) point of contact (e) phone, fax, and email (f) SAM UEI number (g) Cage Code (h) Tax ID Number (i) and must provide a capability statement that addresses the organizations qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor and provide the commodities described below.

Leica VT1200S Vibrating Blade Microtome, BRAND NAME ONLY

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:

The Jesse Brown VAMC, Research Dept is requesting this product called “Leica Brand name only - VT1200 S Vibrating Blade Microtomes” This procurement is required for research on diabetes mellitus for use in studies of the liver. The Leica VT1200 S Fully automated vibrating blade microtome and will be used to generate precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) for human and mouse liver tissue samples as an ex-vivo model of the liver. Liver slices can be experimentally manipulated to assess metabolic flux, gene expression, and protein expression.

1. REQUIREMENTS AND SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS TO MEET OUR NEEDS:

The Leica VT1200S Vibrating Blade Microtome is a fully automated instrument designed for high‑precision sectioning of fresh or fixed biological specimens. It features fixed 85 Hz vibration frequency, adjustable amplitude (0–3 mm), and adjustable sectioning speed (0.01–1.5 mm/s) to ensure consistent, high‑quality cuts. Its innovative blade‑holder design minimizes vertical deflection to below 1 µm, significantly reducing tissue damage and preserving specimen viability. The system supports multiple blade types, enables automatic feeding and retraction, and provides stored user profiles for multi‑user laboratory environments. Magnetic specimen holders, integrated buffer/ice bath options, and motorized vertical feed further enhance accuracy, ease of use, and reproducibility. These capabilities make the Leica VT1200S uniquely suited for demanding neuroscience, pathology, and research applications requiring precision sectioning.

2. Regulatory Requirements Buy American Compliance Interested Vendors must provide the following information when submitting the capabilities documentation:

Manufacturing location =please confirm.

Manufacturer’s name = please confirm.

List of authorized distributors = please confirm.

Confirmation whether an equivalent domestic end product exists = please confirm.

The Government is not obligated to, nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this Sources Sought request. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Notice to Potential Offerors: All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM located on the web at www.sam.gov). It is desirable that any Offeror to have completed their business Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). Additionally, all Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses or Veteran Owned Small Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must be registered and certified with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Requests for information and resultant responses shall be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer via email only at: arneil.genus@va.gov; no later than 8/31/2026, 1 PM CST.

Sources Sought Notice