Cytek Aurora 5

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation Request for Quotation NIAID-RFQ-21-2084109 for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.  The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect with the Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-07 dated September 10, 2021.  The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is requesting to procure the following :

• Cytek Aurora 5 Laser UV/V/B/YG/R (64+3 Channel) – includes: 5 laser flow cytometer, workstation (computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse), one (1) additional copy of the SpectroFloTM, fluidic reservoirs, QC and consumable parts kit, and 5-year warranty – Part #N9-90215, qty-1 each
• Cytek Automated Sample Loader (ASL) 2.0 includes: 96 well plate sampling, on-site installation, 5-year warranty, Part #N7-90275, qty-1 each
• SpectroFlo Software License, Part # N8-00002, qty-2 each
• cFluor Immunophenotyping Kit Part A, 25 Color, Part #R7-40002, qty-1 each
• cFluor Immunoprofiling Kit, 14 Colors – 25 tests, Part #R7-40000, qty-1 each
• SpectroFlo QC Beads 2000 Series, 2ml, Part #N7-97355, qty-5 each
• QbSure Beads, Part #N1-00001, qty-5 each
• Trade-in: 5L Fortessa serial #H177700005

This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items, and FAR Part 13 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR Part 13.501(a)(1) will be used for this acquisition.

Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation.  This acquisition will be awarded as a firm-fixed price purchase order, and is a Total Small Business Set-Aside.  The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334516, with the size standard of 1,000.

Delivery to Bethesda, Maryland 20892.  Delivery and installation forty-five (45) days from acceptance and delivery.  NIAID will evaluate all quotes to determine the best value to the government.  NIAID will make a Best Value Determination based on the capability of each offeror’s quote to provide all requested products, provide the proposed products by the delivery date, and reasonable price.  In the event quotes are evaluated as equal in non-price factors, price will become a major consideration in selecting the successful Offeror.

All interested vendors shall provide a quote for the requirement.  Failure to furnish a full and complete quote will result in the Offeror’s response being considered non-responsive and will therefore be eliminated from further consideration and award.

The following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition:

FAR Part 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certification – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items

FAR Part 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Status or Executive Orders – Commercial Items (see attached)

FAR Part 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities the Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements – Representation

FAR Part 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements

FAR Part 52.204-7 System for Award Management

FAR Part 52.204-16 Commercial for Government Entity Code Reporting

FAR Part 52.204-24  Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services of Equipment

FAR Part 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business and Subcontractors

FAR Part 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order

By reference the Department of Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) provisions and clauses that are applicable to this requirement:

HHSAR 352.203-70 Anti-lobbying

HHSAR 352.208-70 Printing and Duplication

HHSAR 352.222-70 Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations

HHSAR 352.239-73 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice

The Laboratory of Allergic Disease (LAD), has a requirement to obtain an a Cytek Aurora 5 Spectral Flow Cytometer that offers spectrum unmixing, multi-parametric flow benchtop cytometer with 5 spatially separated lasers (355nm, 407nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 640nm lasers), 67 Fluorescent channels (64 fluorescence channels plus 3 scattering channels), APD detectors, vacuum fluidics, small particle detection using Violet laser SSC, capable of 64+ colors, and equipped with a 96 well auto-sampler.  The Spectral flow cytometry differs from conventional flow cytometry in that it collects information across the full spectrum of viable light for each dye, rather than collecting emission of each dye by a single detector with a narrow wavelength window.  This technology allows for better autofluorescence correction which is important when performing flow cytometry on eosinophils and alveolar macrophages, which are central players in allergic disease research.  The SpectroFlo software offers intuitive software from QC to data analysis and the full spectrum capture enables the use of the novel unmixing algorithms for the further data analysis.  It uses proprietary 16-channel semiconductor detector arrays quipped to capture the emission spectra of dyes that emit in the 400 to 900-nm wavelength range. 

For  LAD researchers, the ability to use/analyze up to 64 colors simultaneously with fluorochromes with separation as little as 10nm in their peak emission eliminated the need to set fluorescence overlap compensations.  Elimination of individual PMT/optical filters for each fluorochrome, often a design on other flow cytometers, will allow LAD researchers to design complex, bigger panel designs by using more fluorochromes and fluorescent proteins.  In particular, fluorochrome that have similar peak emission can now be used with Cytek Aurora 5 Spectral flow cytometer. Ability for LAD Researchers to use more dyes and dyes with similar max emission that are not normally possible together (i.e. FITC and GFP because it collects spectral information across all channels, not just the maximum peak, and then unmixes them), reduces the need to collect larger patient samples. Elimination of  PMT and optical filters in high multicolor experiments, will also save on machine set up time with the Aurora as compared with traditional flow machines.

Additionally, due to more photons collected per event and elimination of data spreading due to compensation, LAD researchers will obtain better data with excellent resolutions and improved sensitivity between sample populations.  The volumetric capabilities of the Aurora allow instant population concentration data compared to using expensive counting beads and then the need to calculate concentrations for each sample. This would be a time saver.  The Cytek Aurora 5 offeror a small footprint needing less committed space in an overcrowded lab.  The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Core Facility obtained a Cytek Aurora.  The LAD research project was designed to take advantage of the full spectrum Cytek flow cytometer.  Acquiring the same Cytek Aurora for the LAD labs and in conjunction with our access to the second Cytek Aurora instrument will provide consistency of data, interpretation, greatly enhance/facilitate/benefit our research in the areas of Allergic Diseases. 

All responsible sources who can provide the requested Cytek Aurora 5 Spectral Flow Cytometer  may submit a response that will be considered by email (subject line to reference NIAID-RFQ-21-2084109) to Tonia Alexander at talexander@niaid.nih.gov, by 11:00 am eastern daylight time (EDT) Tuesday, September 28, 2021.  All information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow NIAID to determine if it can meet the above product described herein.  By submission of an offer, the Offeror confirms the requirement that a prospective Awardee shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation.  Note: Lack of registration in SAM will make an Offeror ineligible for award.  Any quotation received by NIAID after this date and exact time specified is late and will not be considered.