Service Agreement for the K2 Summit Direct Detection Camera

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION.

The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD)  intends to award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition to GATAN INC.,

780 COMMONWEALTH DR, WARRENDALE, PA, 15086-7521 for a one-year service agreement on the Gatan K2 Summit direct detection camera. The K2 Summit camera is a highly specialized camera used to obtain images of samples viewed with microscope.

Expert maintenance of the K2 Summit camera will ensure peak performance and prompt service and repair if necessary, which will yield optimal results for researchers in terms of data acquisition and uninterrupted operation of the K2 Summit camera. It will also cover parts that might need replacement, the extended warranty, materials, and labor. Proper functioning and maintenance of the K2 Summit camera is essential to ongoing studies of SIB researchers.

The K2 Summit camera is a highly technical precision instrument that contains proprietary engineering parts and software and GATAN personnel possess the training and expertise to service the K2 Summit camera because GATAN is the original equipment manufacturer, therefore they are the best qualified to maintain this critically important equipment. GATAN is the only source of replacement parts, and replacement parts must be compatible with the current equipment. Since the GATAN personnel are best equipped to provide service for the device, a service agreement with them results in savings of technician time and enhance the flow-through of experimental samples. It also results in substantial fiscal savings since the parts that might need replacement, as well as labor costs, are covered.

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE

The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 811219 of with a size standard of $22.0M.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Circular (FAC) 2021-05 effective 3-10-2021.  This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13: Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold and FAR Subpart 12- Acquisition of Commercial Items.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c) under provisions of the statutory authority of FAR Subpart 6.302- FAR 6.302-1—Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1).

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

National Institutes of Health

9000 Rockville Pike

BLDG 29B / Room 2G11

Bethesda, MD 20892

United States

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

One-year service agreement for the Gatan K2 Summit direct detection camera, Serial Number 14121601W1000 (Original S/N 13020401W1000). Period of Performance: 5/23/2021 -  5/22/2022.

ASSESSMENT OF CAPABILITY

Technically Capability to provide required service with certification from the OEM.

CLOSING STATEMENT

This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: certification to provide OEM service and parts, unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size.   All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ and shall include completed representations FAR 52.204-24 and 52.204.25.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

All responses to this notice shall be submitted electronically on or before Thursday, April 8th, 2021  to jacob.balenson@nih.gov and shall include the Announcement # NICHD-21-060 in the subject line.