The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), intends to award a sole source contract to Bruker Daltonics, Inc., 40 Manning Road, Billerica, MA 01821 for the acquisition of a MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer instrument to replace aging and outdated equipment in the CDC Biotechnology Core Facility and to provide improved results for Bruker Biotyper type research applications.

The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is 10 U.S.C 2304(c)(1) in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirement. The NAICS code for this procurement is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The period of performance for this procurement is 12 months.

The Biotechnology Core Facility Branch as part of the Division of Scientific Resources has served CDC researchers for over 25 years providing synthetic and analytical services. The Core has multiple teams providing different services including next generation DNA sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis (primers and probes), peptide synthesis (antibody generation, probes, therapeutic agents, etc.), proteomic analysis, bioinformatics support, and molecular assay development. The Core utilizes many different types of equipment to perform its services. One of the Core's critical pieces of equipment is its MALDI-TOF/TOF instrument. This equipment is utilized by multiple teams on an on-going and daily basis. The MALDI-TOF/TOF provides critical QC/QA data for both oligonucleotide synthesis and peptide synthesis. The MALDI-TOF/TOF is also critical for the Core's Biotyper analysis service which utilized by multiple labs to develop more rapid and accurate techniques to identify different microorganisms which is a goal of the Advanced Molecular Devices (ADM) program.

The MALDI-TOF/TOF instrument namely the ultrafleXtreme will be used to support multiple activities at CDC Biotechnology Core Facility including oligonucleotide synthesis, peptide synthesis, proteomics, and Biotyper microbial identification. The Bruker Biotyper platform falls under the umbrella of the Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) as it provides a way to more quickly identify various microorganisms through protein profiling on a MALDI-TOF/TOF instrument.

The following technical specifications of MALDI-TOF/TOF instrumentation are necessary to fulfill our requirements:

1. Positive and negative mode operation.
2. Highly resolving (up to 40,000 in reflector mode).
3. High accuracy (less than 5 ppm in reflector mode, close external calibration; less than 60 ppm in linear mode).
4. High sensitivity.
5. Fast acquisition (1 -2 kHz).
6. Self-cleaning source.
7. Laser resolution of at least 10 um.
8. Capable of performing linear acquisition, reflector acquisition, and MS/MS (TOF/TOF) acquisition.
9. Compatible with existing software/workflows.
10. Compatible with Biotyper software.

Installation, training and 12 month warranty shall be included. The offeror shall submit certificate of installation for each instrument to the CDC before the training sessions begin. Training will consist of familiarizing training after installation date at a time agreed upon by CDC and the offeror.

Products from all known companies producing MALDI-TOF/TOF instruments were examined, and only one product can meet all of the criteria, particularly Biotyper compatibility. Familiarity with Bruker systems will allow the Core staff to bring the new system up and into production as quickly as possible without having to alter any current protocols or workflows.

As a result of this synopsis, no competitive solicitation will be posted on FedBizOpps. We will issue only one solicitation to Bruker Daltonics, Inc. However, all responsible sources that believe they can meet these requirements may submit their capabilities/qualifications statement. All capabilities/qualification statements must be received NO LATER THAN December 8, 2014 at 1:00PM EST and sent to Kim Morris via email ONLY at [email protected] with the solicitation number 78327 referenced in the subject line. TELEPHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action will be based on responses to this notice and are solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.