Commercially available microtiter-plate-based, laser-based scanning cytometer capable of executing multiplexed homogenous non-wash antibody binding assays

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1. Sources Sought Number: 75N95019Q00143

2. Title: Microtiter-plate-based, laser-based scanning cytometer capable of executing multiplexed homogenous non-wash antibody binding assays

3. Classification Code: 6640 Laboratory Equipment and Supplies

4. NAICS Code: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

5. This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

6. Description:

The National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health has a requirement for a commercially-available microtiter-plate-based, laser-based scanning cytometer capable of executing multiplexed homogenous non-wash antibody binding assays.

7. Purpose and Objectives: Traditional ELISA protocols to assess the affinity of antibodies to target proteins include multiple washes, large volumes, and incubation steps, and do not allow multiplexing. These laborious multi-step and error-prone ELISA protocols limit throughput and data consistency.

Project requirements: NCATS seeks a commercially-available microtiter-plate-based, laser-based scanning cytometer capable of executing multiplexed homogenous non-wash antibody binding assays. The only commercially-available device NCATS has identified is the Mirrorball fluorescence cytometer manufactured by TTP Labtech.

Anticipated period of performance: NCATS expects to require delivery of the instrument by September 30, 2019.

8. REQUESTED RESPONSE:

The intent of this sources sought notice is to define the procurement strategy (e.g. set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation that NCATS intends to post soon. Interested contractors are requested to respond by providing product literature, white papers, or capability statements that demonstrate their bona fide ability to supply such an instrument within the time frame described above.

In addition to detailed product literature, please state your business size status and whether you are the manufacturer or authorized distributor of the device you propose.

Please note that NCATS is particularly interested in small business sources. If you are a small business, please state the type of small business (small business; HUBZone; service-disabled, veteran-owned; 8(a); veteran-owned; woman-owned; or small disadvantaged businesses) and your size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.

Please note that if no responses to this notice are received from either authorized distributors or providers of potentially equivalent items, then this action will be sole-sourced to the provider cited above.

Please provide your DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, other information described above, and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

The information submitted must be must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

9. Description:

All responses to this notice must reference number 75N95019Q00143 and be submitted electronically to Stuart Kern, Contract Specialist, at stuart.kern@nih.gov. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

Responses must be received on or before May 1, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

10. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

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