Acquisition of a Brand Name or Equal Odyssey M and Odyssey DLX Imaging Systems

Title:   Acquisition of a Brand Name or Equal Odyssey M and Odyssey DLX Imaging Systems

            Document Type:                     Combined Synopsis / Solicitation Notice

            Solicitation Number:              75N91021Q00265

            Proposed Posted Date:            9/1/2021

            Proposed Response Date:       9/7/2021

            Classification Code:               66 – Instruments and laboratory equipment

            NAICS Code:                           334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

            Business Size Standard:             1000 Employees

Contracting Office Address

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 1E122, Bethesda, MD 20892, UNITED STATES.

Description of Requirement

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology (LCMB) intends to acquire two benchtop, multi-channel, quantitative imagers that can provide reliable quantification of membranes, plate-based assays, slides, nucleic acid and protein gels. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, prepared in accordance with format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation that will be issued. This solicitation: No. 75N91021Q00265 includes all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through FAR FAC 2021-06 (July 2021) simplified procedures for commercial items. 

The North American Industry Classification System code is 334516 and the business size standard is 1000 employees and this is a Small Business Set-Aside. 

Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation.  This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract.   

BACKGROUND

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology (LCMB) intends to acquire two benchtop, multi-channel, quantitative imagers that can provide reliable quantification of membranes, plate-based assays, slides, nucleic acid and protein gels.

This instrument will greatly facilitate the research abilities of LCMB by enabling it to perform multiplexed, quantitative Western Blots (WB) which is by far the most common biochemical assay used by LCMB to conduct its research on a daily basis. Imaging Systems for Quantitative (WB) are used to quantify proteins from cell extracts after transfer to nitrocellulose or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes and new protocols also allow for quantification of proteins directly in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) gels or in cells (in-gel and in-cell WB). They are a necessity in any biochemistry lab that quantifies changes in cellular processes.

LCMB studies WNT signaling, an important signaling pathway involved in development, tissue homeostasis and cancer. WNT signaling proceeds through a series of biochemical reactions in which the levels of various proteins, including receptors, scaffolds, kinases and transcriptional activators/co-activators change resulting in transcriptional activation of target genes that execute diverse cellular programs. One of the main readouts of WNT pathway activity used in the lab is the direct quantification of these pathway components through quantitative WB.

Therefore, LCMB uses quantitative WB daily to measure the effects of genetic or pharmacological perturbations on the WNT pathway. Currently, LCMB relies entirely on an   Odyssey Classic Imaging System that’s over twenty years old and is shared with six other labs in LCMB facilities for these studies requiring advanced booking of the instrument, the availability of which is not always guaranteed. Due to the very high frequency with which LCMB uses the instrument and the duration of its experiments, which sometimes take several hours a day, it has become a necessity to acquire an instrument of its own that it has access to it at all times.

TYPE OF ORDER

This will be issued as a Non-Severable Firm Fixed-Price Purchase Order.

SPECIAL ORDER REQUIREMENTS

PRODUCT FEATURES/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

The following product features/characteristics essential for the brand name or equal Odyssey M imaging system are as follows:

• Must include multi-mode capture that can capture data for membrane and plate-based assays, slides, and nucleic acid/protein gels.

• Must include multi-channel capture, including white light, luminescence (i.e., bioluminescence and chemiluminescence) and fluorescence (visible and near-infrared) that can multiplex up to three channels.

• Must have no detector saturation in biologically relevant samples, to overcome common band saturation issues (linear dynamic range greater than 6 logs for chemiluminescence and fluorescence).

• Must capture images at pixel resolutions ranging from 5 to 100 micrometers.

• Must have high fluorescence sensitivity and a wide dynamic range.

• Must be no larger than 62 cm (W) by 77 cm (D).

• Analysis software must be compatible with PC and Mac.

The following product features/characteristics essential for the brand name or equal Odyssey DLX imaging system are as follows:

• Must include multi-mode capture that can capture data for membrane and plate-based assays, slides, and nucleic acid/protein gels.

• Must include multi-channel capture for near-infrared fluorescence that can multiplex up to two channels.

• Must have no detector saturation in biologically relevant samples, to overcome common band saturation issues (linear dynamic range greater than 6 logs for fluorescence).

• Must capture images at pixel resolutions ranging from 21 to 337 micrometers.

• Must have high fluorescence sensitivity and a wide dynamic range.

• Must be no larger than 62 cm (W) by 77 cm (D).

• Analysis software must be compatible with PC and Mac.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            DELIVERY / INSTALLATION

The Imaging Systems shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), within 60 days of purchase order award.

National Cancer Institute

Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology

37 Convent Drive

Bethesda, Maryland 20892

• A minimum 12-month manufacturer warranty must be included
• Shipping/Handling costs must be included in the quote. NCI will not be responsible in the event charges are not included in the quote.
• Installation charges must be included in the quote. Installation of the equipment shall be installed by a local Beckman Certified and trained Service Engineer.

Note: NCI plans to award a contract that has FOB origin delivery terms.

TRAINING

A sales representative will provide a one-hour training session on a date to be determined by the customer (but no later than November 30, 2021) at no extra cost.

WARRANTY

The Contractor shall warrant that any instruments, equipment, components, or other supplies (“Supplies”) procured by this purchase are free of defects in design, material, or manufacture for a period of 12-months from date of installation.

The Contractor shall warrant that all consumables or expendable parts are free of defects in design, material, or manufacture for a period of at least 90 calendar days from date of acceptance by the Government.

Supplies which are repaired or replaced shall be warranted for the remainder of the initial warranty period or for 90-days – whichever is greater.

12-months of Technical Support shall be included in the warranty.