30, 000 Ampoules of Bovine Serum Albumin

The purpose of this amendment is to:
(1) Release answers to all questions received in response to this solicitation, and
(2) Extend the quote submission deadline to 12:00 PM on 8/27/2015.

1. Pre- scored glass ampoules - These are glass vials that are filled and then tips of the vials are melted to form a seal for the vial? There are no screw caps or septa that are inserted into the mouth of vial?
Answer: The pre-scored glass ampoules are typically flame sealed on automated ampouling equipment. No screw caps or septa are required.

2. Specifications for the boxes- How many ampoules will go into each box? What are the dimensions of the box? What does the "Z" pattern for loading the boxes refer to? Is there a specific vendor for the boxes that we should use?
Answer: There is no specific requirement for the number of ampoules per box. The ampoules are often sold in boxes of 144 ampoules, and these original cardboard boxes are acceptable. Other packaging may also be acceptable. The "Z" pattern refers to the order in which the filled ampoules are transferred to the boxes. This should be done in a consistent manner for each box. Generally this means the first ampoule will be in the left rear corner of the box and the last one in the box will be in the right front corner.

3. Numbering of vials - Will there be numbers on the labels supplied by NIST or will we be responsible for indicating the order of filling by attaching numbered labels to the vials?
Answer: The vials will not be individually numbered. Each box of ampoules should be numbered as it is filled. We will be testing homogeneity of the material, and the box numbers will allow us to track the full order.

4. Does no additives used in the purification of the protein from bovine blood mean that no anti -biotics or preservatives can be used? Does this mean that the method used to purify the albumin should be cold ethanol precipitation? Answer: Procedures for isolation of BSA can be found in the literature and include heat treatment or alcohol precipitation. Any procedures used should not interfere with the usage of the protein as a protein standard in total protein or amino acid analysis.

5. Would $[price redacted] to $[price redacted] be ok?
Answer: NIST cannot provide feedback regarding price fairness and reasonableness during the solicitation stage of this procurement.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.