HHS-NINDS-RFQ-20-006850

Submitted by dsonti on
Post Date/ Solicitation Issue Date
Closing Response Date
Proposed Award Date
Project Title
Microinjection-Related Equipment for NINDS SNMU
Contracting Office
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Contact Points

Primary Contract Specialist

Marlene
Milgram
marlene.milgram@nih.gov

Secondary Contracting Officer

Nancy
Lamon-Kritikos
nancy.lamon-kritikos@nih.gov
NAICS Code Number
334516
Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
Small Business Size Standard
1,000 employees
FPDS Classification Code
6640 - Laboratory Equipment and Supplies
Estimated Period of Performance
N/A
Delivery of Goods
Equipment items shall be delivered and installed within 45 days of receipt of order.
Set-Aside Status
Full Set Aside
Set-Aside Type
Small Business (SB)
Competition Status
Brand Name or Equal
Brand Name
Sutter P-1000 Next Generation Micropipette Puller; Sutter MP285 Motorized Micromanipulator; Sutter BV10-B Microelectrode Beveler System w/ 40X Stereo Scope; BV10 WF20X/12 eyepieces (pair only)
Rationale/ Salient Characteristics
To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the micropipette puller must have the following salient characteristics: a touchscreen display with an intuitive interface; an integrated cookbook that identifies suitable programs based on user input of a specific glass, filament, and type of pipette; built-in diagnostic testing of puller components, including error detection of air pressure loss or filament burnout; pre-loaded help topics and built-in glossary to assist with on-site troubleshooting; a safe heat mode option that facilitates filament protection and longevity; a jaw temperature sensor; allow user to store and retrieve previous pull results and ramp tests; a self-contained air supply with filtration system and humidity control chamber; and memory storage capacity for 100 programs. To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the motorized micromanipulator must have the following salient characteristics: a resolution range of 0.04μm/step to 0.2μm/step; one inch of motorized travel on all three axes; capability to execute programmed, fully robotic functions and motion sequences; powered by a linear power supply that is designed to minimize electrical noise radiation in setup; a universal mounting plate for headstage or pipette holder; a rotary optical encoder equipped with a “home” return function that allows quick repositioning of pipettes and toggling between continuous and pulse movements; continuous display of axes positions in absolute and relative scales; and equipped with 0.075” dial coarse drive and 0.0004” dial fine drive. To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the microelectrode beveler system with 40X stereo microscope must have the following salient characteristics: a vibration-free, magnetically coupled beveling surface; bevel angle and advancement functions controlled by a motorized micromanipulator; a 40X stereo microscope; 0.1μm to 100μm beveling range; 5 to 90 degree beveling angle range; grinding surface variation of less than 1.0μm. To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the WF20X/12 eyepieces (pair only) must have the following salient characteristics: minimum magnification of 20X; 12mm field of view; compatible with the microelectrode beveler system. To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the degreaser bottle must be compatible with the microelectrode beveler system. To fulfill the SNMU's requirement, the beveler pedestal oil must be compatible with the microelectrode beveler system.
Single-Sole Source Determination
N/A
Background/Description of Requirement

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is establishing a new laboratory: the Spatial Navigation and Memory Unit (SNMU). The SNMU will use cutting-edge imaging and behavioral approaches to investigate the neural bases of spatial navigation and memory at the circuit, synaptic, molecular, and cellular levels. The SNMU will also conduct experiments on animal models (principally, mice), which will involve microinjection of viral or other compounds into specific areas of the mouse brain and in vivo two-photon imaging.  To accomplish accurate injection, the SNMU requires the following equipment: a micropipette puller, a motorized micromanipulator, a microelectrode beveler system with 40X stereo scope, WF20X/12 eyepieces (pair only), degreaser bottle, and beveler pedestal oil.

The Contractor shall deliver and install the equipment items within 45 days after receipt of the purchase order.

The equipment shall be delivered to the NIH Main Campus Building 35, 35 Convent Drive, Bethesda MD 20892, between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00 pm local prevailing time, Monday through Friday.

Delivery must be Freight on Board (FOB) destination and include inside delivery. In addition, on-site training must take place within two  weeks of equipment delivery; be performed by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician; and consist of setup, installation, and on-site one-day training session for approximately ten NIH staff members.

Summary Statement:

This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. 

It is anticipated that a solicitation will be issued on or about June 4, 2020. Interested parties may request a copy of the solicitation or identify their interest and capability by contacting the contract specialist specified in this announcement. 

All responses to this pre-solicitation notice must reference the announcement number specified above.

Interested parties may identify in writing their interest and capability in response to this requirement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received by closing date and must reference the announcement. Responses may be submitted electronically to the attention of the contract specialist. Fax responses will not be accepted.

All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.