The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is conducting market research to support the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) requirement for a Liquid Scintillation Counter.

The FDA is seeking business sources, including total small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, 8(a) certified companies and other than small businesses. In addition, the FDA is seeking business sources to determine the availability and capability of small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product of a small business manufacturer or producer. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is- 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing; Small Business Size Standard of 500 Employees. The following information is provided to assist the FDA in conducting Market Research to identify potential contractors for this effort:

Specifications:

• The instrument shall be able to perform both single and dual labeled Disintegrations Per Minute (DPM).

• The instrument shall be able to perform single Counts Per Minute (CPM) and Half Life correction.

• The instrument shall be capable of automatically detecting and correcting for color or chemical quench if needed.

• The instrument shall have the versatility to be able to count low level, beta emitting radioisotopes, such as: 3H, 14C, 32P, and 35S, low level alpha contamination on swabs of equipment sources with upgrade capabilities should other isotopes be needed.

• The instrument shall be capable of doing Cerenkov counting.

• The instrument shall be capable of high sensitivity count mode.

• The instrument shall have Instrument Performance Assessment (IPA) software.

• The instrument shall have Alpha/Beta Option

• The instrument shall have the capacity for large number of samples with the flexibility of sample movement and counting interruption/continence modes.

• The instrument shall have the capability to both glass and plastic standard and small scintillation vials.

• The window settings shall be flexible for custom programs.

• Warranty: Supplier must provide a warranty period of 12 months from the date of installation.

• Field service and technical support. The supplier must offer field service for installation and instrument repair beyond the scope of the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) instrument repair contractor (Bionetics). The supplier must offer technical support for training and consultation.

Delivery Locations:
National Center for Toxicological Research
3900 NCTR Road
Bldg. 85
Jefferson, AR 72079

Responses to this sources sought shall unequivocally demonstrate that respondent is regularly engaged in the manufacture and/or sale of same or substantially similar items. Though the target audience is small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product of a small business manufacturer or producer all interested parties may respond. At a minimum, responses shall include the following:

• Business name and bio, DUNS number, business address, business website, business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, 8(a), SDB, WOSB, EDWOSB, LB), point of contact name, mailing address (if different from business address), phone number and email address; [Provide this same information again if responding to provide a product manufactured by another firm.]

• Three (3) years of past performance information for the manufacture and/or sale of same or substantially similar items to include date of sale, description (should also include drawings and photos), dollar value, client name, client address, client point of contact name, client point of contact mailing address (if different from that provided for client), client point of contact phone number, client point of contact email address, and name of the manufacturer (to include DUNS number and size status) if not the respondent;

• Descriptive literature, brochures, marketing material, etc. detailing the nature of the items the responding firm is regularly engaged in manufacturing and/or selling;

• If applicable, identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and SINs that are applicable to this requirement;

• If a large business, identify the subcontracting opportunities that would exist for small business concerns; and

• Though this is not a request for quote, informational pricing is encouraged.

The Government encourages any comments and/or suggestions from any interested party, regarding the specifications. While the Government will not respond directly to your comments and/or suggestions; we will consider them as we finalize the specifications in preparation for the forthcoming solicitation.

The Government is not responsible for locating or securing any information, not identified in the response.

Interested Parties must respond with capability statements which are due in person, by postal mail or email to the point of contact listed below on or before July 17, 2013 by 13:00 hours (Central Time in Jefferson, Arkansas) at the Food and Drug Administration, OC/OA/OAGS, Attn: Yolanda Peer, 3900 NCTR Road, HFT-320, Jefferson, AR 72079-9502 or email [email protected]. Reference FDA-SOL-13-1120982.

Notice of Intent
Responses to this sources sought announcement will assist the Government in determining whether or not any future requirement similar to this one should be set aside for small business, made available to full and open competition or procure through sole-source acquisition procedures.

Disclaimer and Important Notes
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in FedBizOpps. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality
No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).