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Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm-fixed price type of contract.
Delivery to Bethesda, Maryland 20892 approximately 90 days after receipt and acceptance of award.
The Laboratory of Immune System Biology (LISB), has a requirement for a BD FACSymphony A3 Cell Analyzer with 5 laser configuration. The main objective is to replace a soon to be end-of-service-life BD LSRII. The FACSymphony A3 is the current equivalent to the BD LSRII. By utilizing the same equipment/system already being operated, allows for the lab to use existing reagents, laboratory protocols, and processes. The BD FACSymphony A3 will ensure on-going research/experiments are not compromised. Maintaining existing reagents/protocols is paramount to the success of on-going projects. Changing variables would prevent the correct interpretation of the data analysis mythologies already in place. Along with ensure data quality, an upgrade will preclude any compatibility issues. With new systems, there are usually a trial and experimental timeframe to work out compatibility issues or data variations. The LISB currently have eight (8) BD Flow Cytometers in the lab. All experiments have been quality controlled using these instrumentation, which all investigators are familiar with the software, set up, and operation of these instruments. To procure from another potential provider of a flow cytometer cell analyzer would require a new set up of quality control, a completely different set of parameters, and introduce potential pitfalls into experiments, not to mention the extra time, and funding it would take to learn all new software and hardware nuances. With the ongoing research we cannot have any variations, therefore a new system would not be practical this time. Becton, Dickinson and Co., does not have any resellers or distributors, and is the only source for the FACSymphony A3 Cell Analyzer with 5 configurations.
The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 only one source available, no substitutions possible. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS. All responsible sources who can provide the equipment may submit a capability statement that could be considered by email (subject line to reference NIAID-NOI-19-1972867) to Tonia Alexander at [email protected], by 11:00 am eastern standard time Wednesday, September 4, 2019. All information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow NIAID to determine if it can meet the above unique specifications described herein. All responses received by the closing date of this solicitation will be considered by the Government. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.