SAM_-_Pre-Solicitation__7096219_1.pdf

75N94025Q00015

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A

CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION.

The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) intends to award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition to Formulatrix Inc. for Maintenance Contract for Formulatrix Imaging System Equipment.

BACKGROUND

Our lab is interested in the structure and mechanism of proteins embedded in cellular membranes.

We solve high-resolution structures of these proteins in order to understand their mechanism. An understanding of their high-resolution structures also enables us to embark on structure-based small molecule probe and drug discovery projects. An essential prerequisite to solve crystal structures of these membrane proteins is to obtain high-quality crystals that can give us high-resolution diffraction data. In order to do this, we have to set up thousands of crystallization trials using different crystallization conditions. Periodic examination of these crystallization drops and optimization therefrom enable to hone in on the final crystals that give us the requisite data. Since membrane protein preparations contain detergents that are used for solubilizing membrane proteins and often contain lipids that are added as part of the purification or the crystallization process, it is quite common to get detergent and lipid crystals along with membrane protein crystals. So these could as false negatives that need to be excluded. However, in order to determine whether crystals of membrane proteins diffract or not, we have to take them to synchrotrons, that are national level facilities where we get a very limited amount of experimental time. In order to remedy this problem, we use imagers that simultaneously acquire brightfield as well as UV-fluorescence images of our plates. The UV-fluorescence images track tryptophans in proteins and thus only protein crystals show signal in this channel. Moreover, the imagers keep the crystals at a constant temperature, take computer-controlled images periodically and store them so that they can be examined later. The imagers also acquire manual acquisition of images with high magnification. The images are thus the heart of the whole crystallization process and streamline the experimental process.

JUSTIFICATION

Formulatrix is the original equipment manufacturer for the currently owned equipment and has provided maintenance on these equipment for the last 8 years. These are very specialized equipment and based on our market research and to our knowledge, there are no alterative vendors that can provide the needed service or parts at the level of quality and performance required with the authentic replacement parts and best technical knowledge about these equipment.

A switch to an alternative vendor could impact our program goals because poor service or delays would affect our research and service by a third party violates equipment agreements with Formulatrix.

PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE

The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 811210 with a Size standards in millions of dollars: $34.0.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Circular (FAC) 2025-01 effective 11/12/2024. This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($250,000) and FAR Subpart 12- Acquisition of Commercial Items.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1) Soliciting from a single source - For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

NIH/NICHD

9000 Rockville Pike Bldg. 35, Wing A, Room 2F 242/233 Bethesda, MD 20892

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

We need a maintenance contract for the following automated imaging system equipment located in Room 2F333 in Building 35A:

1) Formulatrix Rockimager (serial # RI1000-0142). This is an instrument for storing protein crystallization plates at a defined temperature and for periodically imaging the plates with visible and UV light and for storing the images on a computer.

2) Formulatrix Rockimager(serial # RI1000-0206) with chiller. This is an instrument for storing protein crystallization plates at 4C and for periodically imaging the plates with visible and UV light and for storing the images on a computer.

3) Formulatrix Formulator (serial # Formulator-0099). This is an instrument for making crystallization buffers.

A service agreement is needed for this vital equipment that we use very heavily on a daily basis because if there is a malfunction without any agreements, then precious time would be wasted in trying to obtain service through a procurement. More importantly, any equipment downtime delays could negatively impact our program goals because the protein crystals that have been obtained through months and years of work could go to waste, thus wasting very important federal resources and causing serious damage to our projects.

CLOSING STATEMENT

This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability in response to this notice and may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement.

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 respondents must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All responses to this notice shall be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, on November, 27th, 2024 to jacob.balenson@nih.gov and shall include pre-solicitation # 75N94025Q00015 in the subject line.

http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:jacob.balenson@nih.gov