NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, hereby announces its intent to issue a purchase order to Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc, 1750 West 214th Street, Torrance, CA 90501 for a 1 year maintenance agreement for the following sole proprietary scientific instruments used in Infections Disease Pathology Branch's laboratories:

Prisma Stainer and Linked G2 Coverslipper
Xpress Tissues Processor
VIP 5 Tissue Processor
2 Autowrite Printer with Linked Unload Station
AutoTec Embedder

Sakura is the only company authorized to service this instrument in order to maintain validation. All major electronic, mechanical, optical assemblies, sub-assemblies, and modules for these instruments are proprietary and available only from Sakura. No other service providers are available that meets these specifications as components are proprietary. Furthermore, engineering and software/firmware updates are not available to other vendors. Sakura factory trained technicians are the only authorized service providers that can guarantee the program the best service for these instruments.

This project is supported by justification for other than full and open competition to Sakura under authority of 41 U.S.C., 253(c)(1). Responsible sources that believe they possess the expertise and capabilities identified above are encouraged to submit to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the posting of this notice, their written capabilities statement and pricing information in the format they choose, not to exceed 10 pages. Please forward the capability statement and pricing information to Maria Shamburger, Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Rd, Atlanta, GA 30341, Reference 2011-91537. All vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) prior to an award of a federal contract. The website is: www.ccr.gov. The Government will review any/all capabilities statements and pricing information submitted and determine if other qualified sources do exist that could provide this requirement. Information received in response to this announcement will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

If no affirmative responses are received within 15 days, in accordance with FAR 13.406-1(b)(1), negotiations will be conducted with Sakura as the only source and a purchase order will be issued without any additional notices being posted. For contractual questions contact Maria Shamburger by email at [email protected].

Bid Protests Not Available