NGS Star System (REVERSE AUCTION)

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Finance and Administration, on behalf of the Cabinet of Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health, Division of Laboratory Services, is soliciting bids for a one-time purchase of an NGS Star System through a two-phase reverse auction procurement process. The solicitation, issued April 15, 2019, seeks a Next Generation Sequencing instrument with specific technical capabilities including UV sterilization lighting, HEPA-filtered positive pressure laminar flow, multi-channel pipetting support for 96 and 384 configurations, sample heating and cooling capabilities, and 21 CFR Part 11-compliant software. The system must accommodate 45 SBS positions or 54 tracks of tube carriers totaling 1,728 tubes and include vendor-qualified protocols for NGS kits at no additional charge for the system's lifetime. Phase 1 technical responses without pricing were due May 2, 2019, at 1:30 PM ET, with Phase 2 online reverse auction bidding scheduled for May 16, 2019, at 11:00 AM ET through the eBridge Business Solutions platform. Questions regarding the solicitation were due by April 22, 2019, at 3:30 PM ET, directed to Debbie Mathews, CPPB, KCPM, Commonwealth Buyer, at (502) 564-8649 or Debbie.Mathews@ky.gov. Pricing will be evaluated using a best value approach with 100 points allocated to price and 10 points for delivery, totaling 110 points, with all quoted prices required to be F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed, exclusive of federal excise tax and Kentucky sales/use tax.

Kentucky resident bidders are eligible to receive reciprocal preference in accordance with KRS 45A.494, and qualified bidders, including Kentucky Correctional Industries and designated nonprofit organizations serving individuals with severe disabilities, may qualify for preference if they meet specific statutory requirements outlined in 200 KAR 5:410(3). All bidders must submit required documentation including a signed face of solicitation, completed bid information, Kentucky Tax Registration Application (Revenue Form 10A100), Certificate of Authority for foreign entities, required affidavits certified under penalty of perjury regarding campaign finance law compliance and tax registration status, and EEO forms if applicable. Awarded suppliers are obligated to pay a three percent (3%) transaction fee to eBridge based on the final total purchase price, which must be included in the supplier's pricing. No pricing information may be included in Phase 1 responses, with pricing only submitted during the Phase 2 reverse auction; pricing submitted outside Phase 2 will be rejected. The Commonwealth reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive informalities and technicalities, negotiate directly with bidders, or accept the bid deemed in its best interest, and no specific budget or award value range is disclosed in the solicitation documents.