Notice of Intent to Sole Source - ELISA Starlet Workstation Hamilton Company

This notice announces the intent by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) in support of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Division of Forensic Toxicology (DFT) to procure one two (2) ELISA workstations without competition as prescribed in FAR 13.106-1. Specifically, the Government will procure the workstation manufactured by Hamilton Company.

Hamilton Company is the manufacturer and sole distributor of the ELISA workstations. Two key functions of the Hamilton system is advanced pipetting technology to reduce sample contamination and higher throughput. The Hamilton STARlet uses air displacement and patented CO-RE pipetting technologies that reduce the risk of sample contamination. Air displacement technology allows for increased precision and accuracy of the analyzer. The Hamilton STARlet is the only analyzer that uses the CO-RE technology to attach and eject disposable pipette tips reducing the risk of aerosol and droplet formation. This technology also minimizes the risk of a pipette tip being accidentally released while being transferred across the platform further minimizing potential contamination between samples or reagents. Minimizing contamination is critical to maintaining the forensic integrity required by DFT's mission. The Hamilton STARlet also uses real-time monitoring during aspiration and dispensing to provide traceability. AFMES requires the ability to pipette a minimum of 8 specimens at a time using independent channels which allows AFMES to aliquot 96 samples in approximately 5 minutes. This throughput capability is required due to AFMES's large sample submissions from laboratories across the DoD. This requirement includes option years for maintenance as provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Hamilton Company.

The MECs of this requirement are:
1. Shall be able to measure drugs of abuse in blood, serum and tissue specimens using a variety of ELISA assays and variable specimen volumes (50 - 1000 µL)
2. Shall include an automated laboratory processing unit working in conjunction with Venus Four V4.5 (or most recent) software with the ability to analyze a minimum of 9 assays simultaneously
3. Shall be capable of utilizing 13 x 100 mm test tubes, micro-centrifuge tubes, 96 well plates, and reagent wells
4. Shall have the ability to pipette a minimum of 8 specimens at a time using independent channels with air displacement technology reducing the risk of aerosol and droplet formation
5. Shall be able to aliquot 96 samples in approximately 5 minutes
6. Shall include a plate washer with 96 well plate capabilities
7. Shall have an Incubator system with a minimum of 4 independent heating drawers which limit exposure to light and have a heating range of 3-60 ⁰C
8. Photometer shall be capable of measuring a minimum of 4 wavelengths
9. Shall include liquid level, clot, and bubble detection systems and pressure sensors able to check sample integrity
10. Shall include both sample and reagent barcode reading ability
11. Shall be capable of running real-time monitoring during aspiration and dispensing (providing traceability)
12. Shall be compatible with reagents and kits from multiple vendors including Immunalysis, Orasure, and Randox
13. Shall include bi-annual preventative maintenance schedule
14. Shall include computer and monitor with Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 2013 or better
15. Shall include stand-alone applications where all software components are installed on one computer which controls the instrument and the instrument software. Any system software that requires activation must be installed and activated prior to delivery and installation.
16. Shall include onsite programming of multiple ELISA assays and transfer of methods to additional instrumentation. At a minimum, the programming will include a dilution step, specimen transfer to 96 well plate, plate washing and reading.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 334516 with a size standard of 1,000 Employees.

This announcement fulfills the synopsis requirements under FAR 5.102(a)(6) and 5.203(a). USAMRAA intends to publish a solicitation no sooner than 15 days after publishing this synopsis. This Special Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotes. Information received in response to this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement is in the best interest of the Government. If no written responses are received by the date listed below, which reflects at least fifteen (15) days after the publication of this notice, the solicitation will be issued as brand name sole source only.

All questions and responses concerning this notice shall be emailed to Jeffrey Sprecher at Jeffrey.b.sprecher.civ@mail.mil.

Interested concerns must identify their capability in writing to the above email address listed above no later than 12:00 PM ET, 6 September 2019.

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