Sources Sought Announcement

Title: Luminescence Microplate Reader System

ID: SS-NIAID-24-2225128

Post Date: July 5, 2024

Response Date: July 15, 2024

NAICS: 334516

Introduction

This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement.

Background, Purpose, Objectives

The VRC Virology Laboratory comprises the Virology, Humoral Immunology, and Structural Biology Sections and related Cores. The Humoral Immunology Core is tasked with the preclinical evaluation of neutralizing antibodies elicited by HIV-1 immunogens. The process is the identification and evaluation of neutralizing antibodies using high throughput reporter virus assays. The work in HIV infection focuses on understanding antibody-mediated protective immune responses against HIV-1, as well as on novel immunization strategies aimed at eliciting more potent and broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies. The humoral immunology core laboratory coordinates closely with the structural biology and structural virology laboratories of the VRC to better understand how the antigenic structure of the envelope glycoprotein affects the immune response elicited, particularly the neutralizing antibody response. The goal of this program is to understand the neutralization characteristics and epitope specificities of antibodies induced by novel vaccine candidates and to translate this knowledge into improved immunogen design.

Project Requirements

Successful offerors must have the knowledge, skill, ability, and resources to reliably provide a brand name or equal of the SpectraMax L Luminescence Microplate Reader and StackMax Plate Handling System. Note, the systems and dual injectors must be compatible with the existing system. Minimum requirements of the equipment to be acquired can be found at https://www.moleculardevices.com/products/microplate-readers specifications

1) SpectraMaxL Luminescence Microplate Reader with current version of SoftMax Pro. Includes

SpectraMax L luminometer for reading 96- and 384-well microplates. Autorange for ˃ 9

orders of dynamic range, Photon Counting for high sensitivity, landscape and portrait plate

reading, incubator, user manual, USB interface cable. Includes 1 year MDCare PhD technical

support Plan and 1 year warranty covering parts and labor, Customer Ref#: SPECTRAMAX L

CONFIG - QTY: 1

2) StackMax Plate Handling System base unit. This is a configurable system that has

options for Barcode reading in the long side or short side, and Stacker magazines with

20, 40, and 50 plate capacities. For MDC series 2 readers are controlled by the

StakMax application that installs with SMP 5.2 or later. Connection is afforded by a

baseplate and alignment plate that fit with feet of reader. Includes: 1- year MDCare or

PhD Technical Support Plan and 1 year warranty covering parts and labor, Customer

Ref#: STAKMAX- QTY: 1

3) Dual Injector includes 2 injectors for the measurement of single and dual flash assays both 96

and 384-well microplates. Autorinse for the automatic recovery of reagent and rinsing of

injector tubing at instrument shut down, and automatic disposal of wash and priming

solutions. Customer Ref#: 0310-5126- QTY:1

4) Dual Injector for SpectraMax L reader (auto aperture). for the measurement of single and dual

flash assays both 96 and 384-well microplates. Autorinse for the automatic recovery of

reagent and rinsing of injector tubing at instrument shut down, and automatic disposal of

wash and priming solutions. Customer Ref#: 0310-5882- QTY: 1

5) StakMax Baseplate for configuration with SpectraMax L (Series 3) Microplate Readers

Customer Ref#: 5014721- QTY: 1

6) MDC Stacker Magazine 20 Plate-1 pair of magazines for configuration with AtakMax or

Analyst GT at time of sale or for additional orders. Customer Ref#: 0200-6016- QTY: 1

7) Shipping, Customer Ref# MISC-TECHSERV (FOB DESTINATION) – QTY: 1

The Government anticipates awarding a firm fixed price purchase order, after solicitation for this requirement.

Date of Delivery: 30 days from ARO

Place of Delivery

Bethesda, MD 20892

Capability Statement/Information Sought

All capable vendors should respond with a brief capability statement by July 15, 2024 at 10:00 AM EST. The capability statement must include the ability to provide the required brand name or equal products, as per specifications, and that are compatible with the SpectraMaxL Luminescence Microplate Reader and StackMax Plate Handling System Capability statement must include place of manufacturer.

If your organization has the potential capacity to support this requirement, please provide the following information: 1) organization name, address, point of contact, email address, website address, telephone number, UEI number and size and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) respondents shall indicate if they are the manufacturer or the distributor of Streptavidin biosensors and shall include basic information on product specifications. If an equal product is recommended (not specific to the brand proposed) then sufficient details shall be provided by the respondent describing how the equal product being recommended, meets the minimum specifications of the requirement.

Capability statements should also include documentation indicating that offerors business size as determined by the Small Business Administration’s Table of Size Standards located at: (https://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-size-standards) for NAICS 334516. This SBA size standard is currently 1000 employees but is subject to change. Prospective offerors may also note whether they meet any other socio-economic business categories such as 8(a), Hub-Zone, or Service-Disabled Veteran when submitting their capability statement.

Submission Instructions

Interested businesses who consider themselves qualified to provide the above-listed items are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by July 15, 2024 at 10:00 AM EST. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted via the NIAID electronic Simplified Acquisition Submission System (eSASS) website at https://esass.nih.gov. All vendors must register in the eSASS system to submit their documentation. Instructions on how to register /submit documents are included on the website. All responses received by the closing date of this synopsis will be considered by the Government.

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 Federal Business Opportunities. 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).

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