The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), located in Bethesda, MD, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Research and Diagnostic Systems Inc., located in Minneapolis, MN for 10 Cytokine Detection Kits with the option to purchase 20 additional kits. The Cytokine Detection Kits will be used to detect rhesus monkey cytokines.
This supply will be procured in accordance with the procedures of FAR Part 12-Commercial Items and FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
Sole source determination is made in accordance with:
FAR Part 13.106-1 Soliciting Competition
(b) Soliciting from a single source
(1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.
The mission of USU is to provide the highest quality education programs in the health sciences to those selected individuals who demonstrate dedication to a health profession career in the Uniformed Services. As such, it is essential USU provide the necessary training, equipment, and supplies required for our students to become successful doctors and nurses and to be able to provide the best care possible for our soldiers and to support our research efforts.
Although many companies make Human Cytokine Detection Kits R&D Systems Inc. seems to be the only one that will work to detect rhesus monkey cytokines. Only one company makes a monkey kit and it only detects cynomolgus monkey cytokines and will not work for this experiment. Due to the fact that they are using Human kits on monkeys the variables will be different. Hence, experiments were conducted with seven different brands of Cytokine Detection Kits over the course of six months and only R&D Systems Inc. kits cross reacted with rhesus samples. No other human kit form any other company could detect rhesus monkey cytokines. This is due to the fact that R&D Systems Inc. uses specific antibody clone which is their proprietary property. Therefore, the R&D Systems Inc. is the only know source that can provided the requested Cytokine Detection Kit.
This is not a request for quotes and a solicitation package will not be issued. Sources interested in responding to this requirement must be able to provide compelling evidence that they can provide the abovementioned requirement as specified. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contractual action based upon responses received is solely within the discretion of the government. Responses must be received via email ([email protected]) by 1:00 p.m. EST on December 12, 2012.

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