The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Molecular Imaging Program (MIP) requires the purchase of a Becton Dickinson FACSLyric flow cytometer, or equivalent, to replace an existing Becton Dickinson FACSCalibur flow cytometer.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice, and shall be processed in accordance with FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation, 75N91020Q00066, is issued as a request for quote (RFQ) and includes all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through FAR Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) FAC 2020-06 (06-05-2020) simplified acquisition procedures for commercial items.

The North American Industry Classification System code is 334516 and the business size standard is 1,000 employees. 

1.0 BRAND NAME OR EQUAL

This requirement is for the procurement of the brand name or equivalent instruments described in section 4.0. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal (AUG 1999) is applicable to this requirement.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Molecular Imaging Program (MIP) requires the purchase of one (1) Becton Dickinson FACSLyric flow cytometer, or equivalent. The required instrument will replace an existing Becton Dickinson FACSCalibur flow cytometer. A flow cytometer is an essential piece of equipment for the pre-clinical group in the MIP and is used to analyze optical probes and cell receptors.

3.0 TYPE OF ORDER

This is a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order.

4.0 PRODUCT FEATURES/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

The instrument shall:

• Include a monitor for end users to view several gating results at a time and a separate desktop computer for end users to set up studies, analyze data and copy to flash drive if needed. 
• Include polystyrene beads dyed with fluorochromes that allows the software to characterize, track, and report performance measurements for the flow cytometer. Beads shall consist of equal quantities of bright, mid, and dim beads in phosphate buffered saline with sodium azide.
• Perform automated single tube QC (quality control) with dyed polystyrene beads instead of requiring manual QC using single color beads.
• Include bead dilution buffer, cleaning agent for daily use, and fluid for running the instrument
• Include at no charge fluorescent beads containing the following dyes:  FITC, PE, APC, PerCP-Cy5.5, PE-Cy7, APC-Cy7, PerCP, and dyes with absorptions of 415nm and 404nm and emission peaks of 500nm and 448nm, respectively. The beads need only to be run every 60 days and enable the software to determine spillover values (SOVs) for fluorescence compensation and calculate a fluorescence compensation matrix during setup of flow cytometer.
• Have a minimum of 3 lasers (red, blue and violet) and be capable of detecting a minimum of 8 dyes. The 8 dyes shall include followings; FITC, PE, PCP-Cy5.5 and PE-Cy7 from blue laser, APC or Alexa Fluor 647, APC-Cy7 from red laser, and dyes capable of being detected with a violet laser with maximum absorptions between 404-407nm and 405-415nm and emission peaks between 421-448nm and 500-510nm, respectively. 
• Have the ability to be upgraded on-site by the manufacturer to detect an additional 4 dyes for a total of 12 dyes. The additional dyes shall include Alexa Fluor 700, and dyes optimized and excited by a violet laser with the following absorption and emission wavelengths: 405nm, 407nm, 407nm and 600-602nm, 702-711nm, 780-786nm, respectively.  This increases the instrument’s flexibility.
• Offer a manual sample acquisition capable of accepting 12 x 75-mm tubes and microcentrifuge tubes. Manual acquisition is useful if you only have a few samples or samples that aren’t in 96 well plates.
• Provide software with the ability to automate the process of compensating the spectral overlap of fluorochromes used in the lab. The software shall allow the user to export the user-defined assays in given format so that users can reproduce assays at different times.
• Capable of collecting events (data from cells) at very high speed (minimum of 25,000 events per second). This allows several events to be collected rapidly and a sufficient number of cells for statistically significant detection.
• Be capable of acquiring unlimited events per sample so the users can collect data from rare cell populations effectively.
• Include a system that offers superior sensitivity to detect low intensity signal effectively such as gel coupled flow cell or equivalent.
• Be capable of a High Sensitivity Mode (flow rate 50uL/min) in order to accommodate samples that contain rare populations. This mode allows the cells to travel through the laser beam at half the usual sheath velocity and allows for a two-fold increase in sensitivity.
• Use the heptagon fluorescence collection system or equivalent which minimizes the number of times fluorescence signals shall pass through dichroic mirrors, maximizing signal intensity and eliminating alignment of fluorescence channels.
• Include electronic IDs (chip coded) or equivalent for each filter-mirror combination, ensuring that the configuration is as expected for a given experiment. In case of mismatch the user can identify that before collecting data, ensuring accurate results.            
• Be capable of setting multiple parameter threshold.  The ability to threshold on more than one parameter is a very powerful tool when working with small particles or sample preps with large amounts of unwanted particles.
• Include a universal sample loader capable of using 12x75mm tube racks as well as a 96 well plate. The ability to set up multiple 12x75mm sample tubes or a 96 well plate and walk away saves the user time from standing at the instrument.  The end user requires the ability to set up multiple 12x75mm tubes in order to collect rare cells from tumor samples from large volumes. Per the lab’s sample preparation protocol, samples are strained through a filter attached to 12x75mm tubes. The same tube is used in the instrument to save time and money. To maintain consistency and prevent loss of sample, a loader capable of using a 12x75mm tube rack is required. One sample loader capable of accommodating both types of sample sizes saves space and time of switching out loader each time running samples.
• Include automated on board vortexing of tubes and plates for mixing and resuspension of cells. The automated vortexing prevents the cells from settling at the bottom of the tube.  Strength and duration of vortexing can be determined by the end user in the software program.
• Include 30 and 40 tube (12x75mm) racks for sample loader. The racks are required to run the samples in 12x75mm tubes for the sample loader and will allow the user to walk away and perform other studies. When analyzing primary tissue samples, the lab’s sample preparation protocol requires the use of a filter (strainer) that is attached to a 12x75mm tube.  The same tube is used to analyze the sample in the instrument which saves time and money. 
• Contain a loader that is equipped with barcode scanner that can match rack barcode and tube barcodes to what is expected per the software program and provide error management capabilities in case of mismatch. This allows the user to walk away after the start of the multi-tube or plate run.
• Be capable of programming an automated start up and auto shutdown and power off to increase productivity.
• Include a system that operates using Windows 10.
• Have total dimensions (WxDxH) not to exceed 42 inches x 23 inches x 23 inches due to existing lab space limitations.
• Use 110-120V outlet due to existing lab set up and compatibility. Any other outlet type would require a new outlet and take several weeks for installation. 

OPTIONAL TRADE-IN:

Quoters are encouraged to provide a trade-in credit for a Government-Owned Becton Dickinson FACSCalibur flow cytometer (S/N E97501007) and its adjoining Apple Mac Pro (Model A1186, S/N G8816357XYL) that have been identified to be in “fair” condition by the NCI Property Management Branch. Quoters offering a trade-in credit shall provide all applicable costs for removal of the existing system such as labor, equipment, packaging/crates, shipping, and insurance.

4.1 DELIVERY / INSTALLATION

Delivery shall be within 90 business days of purchase order award. The Contractor shall provide the NCI Technical Point of Contact (TPC), TBD at award, with tracking information to anticipate delivery to the best extent possible. All shipping/handling (including FOB) and delivery/installation fees shall be included in the quote. Upon delivery, the Contractor shall notify the TPC to schedule the installation date and time that shall occur within 5 business days after delivery. Installation shall be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified operator.

The Contractor shall deliver and install the equipment at the following address:

ATTN: TBD at award
Molecular Imaging Program
9000 Rockville Pike,
Building 10, Room 1B40
Bethesda, MD 20892

4.2 TRAINING

Within 14 business days after installation, at least (1) one day of training shall be provided on-site for at least one primary user of the instrument. All training expenses, including materials and/or travel expenses, shall be included in the quoted price.

4.3 WARRANTY

The Contractor shall warrant that any instruments, equipment, components, or other supplies (“Supplies”) procured by this purchase are free of defects in design, material, or manufacture for a period of at least one (1) calendar year from date of acceptance by the Government.

The Contractor shall warrant that all consumables or expendable parts are free of defects in design, material or manufacture for a period of at least 90 calendar days from date of acceptance by the Government.

Supplies which are repaired or replaced shall be warranted for the remainder of the initial warranty period or for 90-days – whichever is greater.

At least one (1) on-site preventative maintenance visit during the warranty period shall be provided. Phone support, remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, and field service shall be included in the warranty.

5.0 PAYMENT

Payment shall be made upon delivery, inspection, and acceptance by the Government. Payment authorization requires submission and approval of invoices to the NCI TPC and NIH OFM, in accordance with the payment provisions listed below:

The following clause is applicable to all Purchase Orders, Task or Delivery Orders, and Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Calls:  Prompt Payment (Jan 2017) FAR 52.232-25.  Highlights of this clause and NIH implementation requirements follow:

I. Invoice Requirements

An invoice is the Contractor's bill or written request for payment under the contract for supplies delivered or services performed.  A proper invoice is an "Original" which must include the items listed in subdivisions 1 through 12, below, in addition to the requirements of FAR 32.9.  If the invoice does not comply with these requirements, the Contractor will be notified of the defect within 7 days after the date the designated billing office received the invoice (3 days for meat, meat food products, or fish, and 5 days for perishable agricultural commodities, dairy products, edible fats or oils) with a statement of the reasons why it is not a proper invoice.  (See exceptions under II., below.)  Untimely notification will be taken into account in the computation of any interest penalty owed the Contractor.

1. Vendor/Contractor:  Name, Address, Point of Contact for the invoice (Name, title, telephone number, e-mail and mailing address of point of contact).
2. Remit-to address (Name and complete mailing address to send payment).
3. Remittance name must match exactly with name on original order/contract.  If the Remittance name differs from the Legal Business Name, then both names must appear on the invoice.
4. Invoice date.
5. Unique invoice #s for all invoices per vendor regardless of site.
6. NBS document number formats must be included for awards created in the NBS:  Contract Number; Purchase Order Number; Task or Delivery Order Number and Source Award Number (e.g., Indefinite Delivery Contract number; General Services Administration number); or, BPA Call Number and BPA Parent Award Number.
7. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) or DUNS + 4 as registered in WWW.SAM.GOV.
8. Federal Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).  In those exceptional cases where a contractor does not have a DUNS number or TIN, a Vendor Identification Number (VIN) must be referenced on the invoice.  The VIN is the number that appears after the contractor’s name on the face page of the award document.
9. Identify that payment is to be made using a three-way match.
10. Description of supplies/services that match the description on the award, by line billed.*
11. Freight or delivery charge must be billed as shown on the award.  If it is included in the item price do not bill it separately.  If identified in the award as a separate line item, it must be billed separately.
12. Quantity, Unit of Measure, Unit Price, Extended Price of supplies delivered or services performed, as applicable, and that match the line items specified in the award.*

* NOTE:  If your invoice must differ from the line items on the award, please contact the Contracting Officer before submitting the invoice.  A modification to the order or contract may be needed before the invoice can be submitted and paid.

B. Shipping costs will be reimbursed only if authorized by the Contract/Purchase Order.  If authorized, shipping costs must be itemized.  Where shipping costs exceed $100, the invoice must be supported by a bill of lading or a paid carrier's receipt.

C. Mail an original and 1 copy of the itemized invoice to:

National Institutes of Health
Office of Financial Management,
Commercial Accounts
2115 East Jefferson Street, Room 4B-432, MSC 8500
Bethesda, MD 20892-8500

For inquiries regarding payment call: (301) 496-6088

To facilitate the prompt payment of invoices, it is recommended that the vendor submit a photocopy of the invoice to the “Consignee” designated for the acquisition in block 20 of the face page of the Order/Award document.

II. Invoice Payment

A. Except as indicated in paragraph B., below, the due date for making invoice payments by the designated payment office shall be the later of the following two events:

1. The 30th day after the designated billing office has received a proper invoice.
2. The 30th day after Government acceptance of supplies delivered or services performed.

B. The due date for making invoice payments for meat and meat food products, perishable agricultural commodities, dairy products, and edible fats or oils, shall be in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act, as amended.

III. Electronic Invoice Submission

The current national emergency and the need to protect Federal and Contractor staff has resulted in a change to NIH’s invoice submission process. Effective Wednesday, April 1, 2020, all NIH contractors/vendors invoices should be sent electronically via email to the NIH Office of Financial Management (OFM) and the NIH Contracting Officer (CO) using the electronic submission instructions contained in Attachment #1. Electronic invoice submission shall remain in effect until the Government formally notifies the Contractor of a return to mail-in invoice procedures detailed in this purchase order.

IV. Interest Penalties

A. An interest penalty shall be paid automatically, if payment is not made by the due date and the conditions listed below are met, if applicable.

1. A proper invoice was received by the designated billing office.
2. A receiving report or other Government documentation authorizing payment was processed and there was no disagreement over quantity, quality, or contractor compliance with a term or condition.
3. In the case of a final invoice for any balance of funds due the contractor for supplies delivered or services performed, the amount was not subject to further settlement actions between the Government and the Contractor.

B. Determination of interest and penalties due will be made in accordance with the provisions of the Prompt Payment Act, as amended, the Contract Disputes Act, and regulations issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

V. PROVIDING ACCELERATED PAYMENT TO SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTORS, FAR 52.232-40 (December 2013)

a) Upon receipt of accelerated payments from the Government, the Contractor shall make accelerated payments to its small business subcontractors under this contract, to the maximum extent practicable and prior to when such payment is otherwise required under the applicable contract or subcontract, after receipt of a proper invoice and all other required documentation from the small business subcontractor. 

b) The acceleration of payments under this clause does not provide any new rights under the prompt Payment Act.

6.0          SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS/EVALUATION

QUESTIONS

Questions must be submitted electronically via email to Contract Specialist, Adam Hernandez, at [email protected] in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), no later than 11:00 A.M. EST Tuesday, June 23, 2020 (06/23/2020). Please be advised that the Government reserves the right to transmit any questions and answers of a common interest to all prospective Contractors.

QUOTATIONS

Quotations must be submitted electronically via email to Contract Specialist, Adam Hernandez, at [email protected] in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), no later than 11:00 A.M. EST Tuesday, June 30, 2020 (06/30/2020).

Please refer to solicitation number 75N91020Q00066 on all correspondence.

BASIS FOR AWARD & EVALUATION

The purchase order will be awarded to the firm that submits the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) quotation. A technically acceptable quote is one in which the quoter(s) complies with the Statement of Need (SON) and does not take exception, nor object to any of the terms of the RFQ. Quotes that are not technically acceptable will not be considered for award. An award will be made on an all or none basis.

If you are providing an “equal” product, you must submit additional documentation that highlights and describes how your offering is equal in accordance with FAR Clause 52.211-6.

Evaluation and award will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of FAR 13.106. The technical evaluation will be a determination based on information furnished by the Contractor. The Government is not responsible for locating or securing any information which is not identified in the quotation. The Government intends to evaluate quotations and make a single award. Quotations should contain the quoter’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to request quote revisions that seek additional price discounts, provide revisions to the technical quote, or clarify aspects of the quote. In the event quote revisions are requested, the Government will not necessarily be seeking revisions from all quoters. The Government may reject any or all quotes if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest quote; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in quotes received.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) does not commit the Government to pay any cost for preparation and submission of a quote. In addition, the Contracting Officer is the only individual who can legally commit the Government to the expenditure of public funds in connection with this proposed acquisition. By submitting a quote in response to this solicitation, it is understood that your firm’s quote shall become a part of the official contract file.

Quotes must be submitted with a completed copy of FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, located in the SOLICITATION PROVISIONS attached to this RFQ.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, all Quoters must pay close attention to the following delivery instructions and ensure that sufficient information is included in each quote in order to be considered for an award. Please be aware that due to the fluidity of the existing pandemic, instructions may be updated as needed after award.

• All quotes must include confirmation that equipment is or will be available for delivery by the due date indicated in section 4.1 above.
• Quoters must confirm:
  • Willingness to store or hold equipment until NCI is ready to accept the equipment at no additional cost.
  • The equipment will not be sold to another company in the event NCI is not ready to accept delivery due to unanticipated changes related to COVID-19.
  • Training as identified in section 4.2 may be made available and provided to required staff at different times and dates at no additional cost.
• Communicate and follow instructions from the Technical Point of Contact (TPC) to coordinate delivery, installation, and training. The delivery address and TPC’s information will be provided at time of award and must be included as part of the order/shipping label.

Price Quote:

The Quoter shall prepare a price quotation that contains all information necessary to allow for a comprehensive evaluation of the prices quoted. The quote must contain the following information:

a. Federal Tax Identification Number (TIN);

b. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number;

c. Business Size (e.g., small or large)

If you are providing a trade-in credit for the existing equipment detailed in section 4.0 above, the total quoted price to be evaluated must identify the total new equipment price, less the total trade-in credit amount in sufficient detail.

For example:

New equipment        $0.00
Less Trade-in Value ($0.00)
Total                               $0.00

**Please include a statement to the effect that pricing is firm for a period of at least 60 days from the date of receipt thereof by the Government.