Fluidigm Acculift Laser Capture Mirodissection System

National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer Pathogenesis, Prostate Cancer Genetics Section  plans to procure a Fluidigm Acculift Laser Capture Mirodissection (LCM) System from Fluidigm Corporation of 2 Tower Place, Suite 2000, South San Francisco, CA 94080 on a sole source basis.

This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR 13.106-1 (b)(1)(i) using simplified acquisition procedures for commercial acquisitions.  The response close date of this notice for this requirement is in accordance with FAR 5.203(a)(1). The North American Industry Classification System code is 334516 and the business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Prostate cancer is uniquely heterogeneous and frequently of low cellularity, and it is for this reason that the lab’s molecular pathology analyses of treatment-naïve and post-treatment prostate cancer specimens have benefitted from a Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) microscope. This instrument was purchased in 2015 and outfitted with the required objectives, stages and lasers for work the lab performs. This instrument is used on a continuous basis and the results of work performed on this instrument have been published in 5 manuscripts to date (Hennigan et al 2018 JCO Precision Oncology, Wilkinson et al, 2020 Nature Communications, Whitlock et al 2020 Oncogene, Morel et al 2021 Nature Cancer, Wilkinson et al 2021 European Urology) with more in preparation. Work in progress continues to use this microscope, both in the localized setting (for microscopic foci of residual disease) and in prostate cancer metastases to the bone (using the laser to cut out osteoblastic lesions).

The lab’s current microscope, purchased in 2015, is an Arcturus Laser Capture Mirodissection (LCM) System manufactured by Thermo Fisher.  At the time it was the only instrument that used positive “cap” based selection with dual UV and IR lasers. Thermo Fisher has discontinued this microscope but has not yet made its replacement model available for purchase. A service plan for preventative maintenance and repairs will no longer be offered, as replacement parts become unavailable.

The following product features/characteristics are required:

• Laser Capture Microdissection instrument with infrared capture and UV cutting lasers compatible with GeckoGrip Caps and AccuLift Release Slides for increased capture over traditional LCM
• Infrared (IR) capture laser: Solid-state, near-IR (808 nm) with adjustable power output. Captures single cells and small areas of interest gently and with unparalleled precision.
• UV laser: Solid-state, diode-pumped passively Q-switched (355 nm) with 20kHz sub-nanosecond pulse rate. Harvests large number of cells from tissue samples with superior speed.
• Color CMOS camera with large field of view and high resolution (5MP), low noise, frame rate of 75 fps at the full 5MP resolution
• 2X, 10X, 20X 40X and 60X objectives
• Microsoft Surface Pro tablet (touch screen and stylus) and operating software
• On-site warranty, parts and labor
• Epi-fluorescence: 2,000-hour broad-spectrum metal halide lamp; user-replaceable with no alignment required. Motorized xix-position fluorescence filter turret with 3 filter cubes (R, G, B) and 3 available positions for application-specific filter cubes.
• UV Filter Cube
• DAPI/FITC/TRITC filter cubes. Excitation: 385-400/475-493/545-565. Emission: 450-465/503-533/582-622
• Stage: Motorized, joystick- or software-actuated in X- and Y-axes with 0.25 μm homing accuracy and 0.25 μm bidirectional reproducibility for autonomous microdissection.

Click-and-walk technology.

• Stage Insert for Large Format Slides. Accommodates 50mm, 38mm and 25mm slides
• Petri Dish Stage Insert that accommodates 50mm x 7mm Petri dishes
• Instrument Installation and Product Training at the Customer Site

This requirement consists of a new laser capture microdissection instrument mounted on a Olympus ix73 microscope base. The includes infrared and ultraviolet lasers, objectives, a computer, operating software, and warranty.  The Acculift instrument has several unique features that make it an ideal system for laser capture microdissection providing the ability for investigators to perform their research.

The Fluidigm Acculift Laser Capture Mirodissection (LCM) System has been identified as the only instrument to with all of the following required capabilities:

1. Able to adhere target areas or single cells to LCM cap by activation of thermoplastic film
2. Able to rapidly image collected LCM material on the LCM cap
3. Able to laser capture microdissect from standard glass slides and membrane slides
4. Equipped with a near IR (808nm) laser for laser capture microdissection with adjustable power output
5. Equipped with a UV laser, solid-state, diode-pumped passively Q-switched (355 nm) with 20kH sub-nanosecond pulse rate for laser cutting and abalation.
6. Equipped with an inverted research microscope including a motorized objective turret with 2x, 10x, 20x, 40x, and 60x objectives
7. Equipped with motorized fluorescence with red (excitation: 590–650 nm, emission:663–738 nm), green (510–560 nm, >590), blue (450–490 nm,>515 nm) UV (325–375 nm, >420 nm), (DAPI 385–400 nm 475–493 nm, FITC 545–565 nm 450–465 nm, TRITC 503–533 nm 582–622 nm) filters
8. Equipped with a motorized stage that is joystick- or software-actuated in X- and Y-axes with 0.25 μm homing accuracy and 0.25 μm bidirectional reproducibility for autonomous microdissection, click-and-walk technology.
9. Being able to accommodate large format slides (50mm, 38mm and 25mm)
10. Being able to accommodate tissue culture/Petri dishes for live cell laser microdissection.
11. Compatible with GeckoGrip Caps (which have increased tissue contacts and improved cap weight) and AccuLift Release Slides for increased capture over traditional LCM.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party, especially small business believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a capability statement for the Government to consider. The response and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement.  Responses must be received in the contracting office by 12:00 PM ET, on July 20, 2021.  All responses and questions must be via email to Miguel Diaz, Contracting Officer at miguel.diaz@nih.gov.  A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  In order to receive an award, contractors must be registered and have valid certification through SAM.GOV and have Representations and Certifications filled out. Reference: 75N91021Q00147 on all correspondence.