SON - Spectrophotometer - Sources Sought.docx

STATEMENT OF NEED (SON)

1.0 TITLE

Purchase of a Brand Name or Equal fluorescence spectrophotometer.

2.0 BACKGROUND

A group within the National Institutes of Heath (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), studies a family of proteins called Arf GAPs with an overexpression associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in a number of cancers. The Arf GAPs comprise part of the invasion apparatus called invadopodia and have been found to be necessary for invasion and metastasis of cancer in mouse orthotopic xenograft models.

NIH NCI has been working towards understanding the molecular basis of the regulation of these proteins at atomic resolution for the ultimate goal of designing therapeutics for this and other proteins involved in cancer progression. Performing and preparing a structure/function analysis is central to the cancer research/work. One critical instrument for the structure/function analysis of purified proteins is a fluorescence spectrophotometer.

NIH NCI has been using a Horiba Fluormax 3 fluorescence spectrophotometer, purchased twenty-six years ago in 1998. Initially, the Horiba instrument was procured because it had the features necessary for the types of NIH, NCI cancer studies being completed as other manufacturers/competitors who offered fluorescence spectrophometers in the same price range. Additionally, the Horiba Fluormax 3 fluorescence spectrophotometer exhibited a greater sensitivity than other instruments. It had a tertiary advantage in assay studies such as conducting polarization anisotropy assay studies.

The Horiba Fluormax 3 has reached the end of its life cycle and is now considered obsolete, fallen into disrepair. Parts necessary for the instrument’s functionality are no longer available. Lastly, the software controlling the instrument runs on a windows 98 computer, which consistently fails. Finding boards, parts and drivers has been difficult and near impossible. Therefore, we are requesting the instrument be replaced with the newer, but otherwise equivalent model from Horiba, the Fluoromax Plus-C, which has improved electronics and a computer which can easily interface with the NIH, NCI LAN. The cost of the new instrument is approximately $60,000.

3.0 TYPE OF ORDER

This shall be a Firm Fixed-Price Purchase Order.

4.0 SPECIAL ORDER REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRODUCT FEATURES/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

The following product features/characteristics are required for this requirement:

The fluorescence spectrophotometry will be used for experiments examining the function of enzymes and structural proteins involved in cell behaviors which contribute to cancer progression. The following minimum product features/characteristics are required:

· Two Czerny-Thompson gratings, one optimized for UV and the second optimized for VIS/NIR

· Xenon ozone-free light source with range from 230 nm to NIR

· Detector

· R928P Photomultiplier tube with a 200 to 870 spectral range

· Photon counting

· Detection range of 6 orders of magnitude

· Peltier-temperature controlled 4 position cuvette holder with

· -15 C to 100 C temp range

· Automated temperature control including temperature ramping

· Controlled for obtaining time dependent changes for kinetic analysis

· Integration times ranging from 1 ms to 160 s

· Band pass filters that are continuously adjustable from 0 to 30 nm

· Dual Glan-Thompson polarizers software controlled to automatically set angles, place and remove polarizers from the light path

· Sensivity: water Raman peak signal to noise ratio equal to or greater than 10,000:1

· Controlled by a monitor and computer using Windows 10 or higher.

This equipment is replacing like equipment the NIH NCI program had and interfaces with equipment already in place. Procuring different equipment does not meet the needs of the government due to interfacing and will only lead to testing backlogs and delays in cancer research.

4.2 DELIVERY / INSTALLATION

Delivery shall be within sixty (60) calendar days of the purchase order award. All shipping/handling (including FOB) and delivery/installation fees shall be included in the quote. Upon delivery, the Contractor shall notify the respective NCI Technical Point of Contact, Paul Randazzo, 240-760-7485, randazzp@mail.nih.gov, to schedule installation dates and times. Installation shall occur within fourteen (14) calendar days of delivery and shall be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified technician. Equipment shall be delivered to and installed at the following address:

Bldg 37, room 2042, POC: Paul Randazzo, 240-760-7485 randazzp@mail.nih,gov

5.3 TRAINING

The Contractor shall provide a one (1) day training session for up to four (4) NIH NCI staff at the location of delivery. Training will take place within seven (7) days of equipment installation and will be facilitated by a factory-trained product specialist. Training will include an overview of setup approaches, maintaining instrument settings, and software usage for custom instrument configurations, as well as a demonstration of the performance. All training expenses, including materials and or travel expenses, shall be included in the quoted price.

6.0 PAYMENT

Payment shall be made upon receipt, inspection and acceptance of all equipment and after training has commenced on the equipment. The following clause is applicable to all Purchase Orders, Task or Delivery Orders, and Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Calls: Prompt Payment (Jan 2017) FAR 52.232-25. Highlights of this clause and NIH implementation requirements follow:

I. Invoice Requirements

NOTE: If your invoice must differ from the line items on the award, please contact the Contracting Officer before submitting the invoice. A modification to the order or contract may be needed before the invoice can be submitted and paid.

Shipping costs will be reimbursed only if authorized by the Contract/Purchase Order. If authorized, shipping costs must be itemized. Where shipping costs exceed $100, the invoice must be supported by a bill of lading or a paid carrier's receipt.

B. The Contractor shall submit invoices to the Department of Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) at https://www.ipp.gov with a copy to the approving official as directed below.

The Contractor shall submit a copy of the electronic invoice to the following Approving Official (Purchasing Agent) and Technical Point of Contact:

Approving Official: Purchasing Agent

TBD: Name Email

Technical Point of Contact

B. The due date for making invoice payments for meat and meat food products, perishable agricultural commodities, dairy products, and edible fats or oils, shall be in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act, as amended.

B. Determination of interest and penalties due will be made in accordance with the provisions of the Prompt Payment Act, as amended, the Contract Disputes Act, and regulations issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

IV. PROVIDING ACCELERATED PAYMENT TO SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTORS, FAR 52.232-40 (November 2021)

(a) Upon receipt of accelerated payments from the Government, the Contractor shall make accelerated payments to its small business subcontractors under this contract, to the maximum extent practicable and prior to when such payment is otherwise required under the applicable contract or subcontract, after receipt of a proper invoice and all other required documentation from the small business subcontractor.

(b) The acceleration of payments under this clause does not provide any new rights under the Prompt Payment Act.

(c) Include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (c), in all subcontracts with small business concerns, including subcontracts with small business concerns for the acquisition of commercial products or commercial services.

(End of Clause)

V. HHSAR 352.232-71 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (February 2, 2022)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Payment request means a bill, voucher, invoice, or request for contract financing payment with associated supporting documentation. The payment request must comply with the requirements identified in FAR 32.905(b), ‘‘Content of Invoices’’ and the applicable Payment clause included in this contract.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this clause, the Contractor shall submit payment requests electronically using the Department of Treasury Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) or successor system. Information regarding IPP, including IPP Customer Support contact information, is available at www.ipp.gov or any successor site.

(c) The Contractor may submit payment requests using other than IPP only when the Contracting Officer authorizes alternate procedures in writing in accordance with HHS procedures.

(d) If alternate payment procedures are authorized, the Contractor shall include a copy of the Contracting Officer’s written authorization with each payment request.

(End of Clause)