SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Zeiss LSM 510 Confocal Microscope
- Notice Date
- 7/25/2008
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 6120 Executive Blvd., EPS Suite 600, Rockville, Maryland, 20852
- ZIP Code
- 20852
- Solicitation Number
- NCI-80140-MM
- Archive Date
- 8/22/2008
- Point of Contact
- Ashley L. Virts, , Malinda L Holdcraft,, Phone: (301) 402-4509
- E-Mail Address
-
virtsa@mail.nih.gov, holdcram@exchange.nih.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Cell and Cancer Biology Branch (CCBB), plans to procure on a sole source basis for a Zeiss LSM 510 META Confocal Microscope with Carl Zeiss MicroImaging, Inc., One Zeiss Drive, Thornwood NY 10594. This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR 13.5 to use simplified procedures for commercial acquisitions. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 334516 and the business size standard is 500 employees. The CCBB Microinjection and Confocal Microscopy Core Facility was established by the NCI Cell and Cancer Biology Branch in September 1997. The core facility provides state-of-the-art confocal microscopy and digital imaging to CCBB investigators as well as scientists from other laboratories in the NCI to perform high quality clinical and translational research in cancer biology and to train students, residents, and fellows in the field of confocal microscopy. The core facility also provides services and opportunities for collaborative research to investigators throughout the NCI. The Zeiss LSM 510 META will replace the existing LSM 510 that is over 11 years old. The new system will have linear unmixing capability that is essential for our users studying stem cell reprogramming. In addition, several researchers using our core facility have requested Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to investigate protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, features of the new microscope such as metatracking, Real-ROI, and DSP scanning control will greatly improve the images that are currently being generated. Capabilities that are currently available on the old system including multitracking and lambda stack acquisition are used routinely by the researchers in the CCR and it is imperative that we continue to offer these capabilities to our users. The NCI needs to provide over 40 users with “state-of-the-art” confocal imaging for a wide range of applications, including time lapse, 3D, 4D, FRET, and FRAP. PART II. Facts and Reasons To Justify Other than Full And Open Competition 1.Statute: 13.106-1 (b)(2) (b) Solicitation from a single source. (2)For Sole source acquisition of commercial items in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold conducted pursuant to subpart 13.5, the requirements at 13.501(a) apply. 2.Sole Source Justification After comparing several confocal systems, it was found that Carl Zeiss offered the best optical resolution and overall performance for our purposes. The current system lacks the capabilities of the newer systems that are required for the work of the researchers using the CCBB Core Facility as an integral part of their studies. Zeiss shall provide software upgrades and installation at no additional charge. Due to the large volume of users of the confocal core facility, it is detrimental to ongoing studies to have the current system out of commission for more than a day or two and it is important that the software be kept up to date with the latest macros for imaging techniques. The NCI has a need to replace the existing confocal and image processing system to meet the needs of users in their research efforts. The system must provide high resolution; expanded fluorescence capability; speed and ease of use; and quality image capture, processing, and storage capabilities. This new confocal system must be compatible with our existing computer systems. As all of our current equipment is Zeiss, and PC-based, the NCI will be able to network this new system to other computers and printers in the laboratory, thus allowing for easy image transfer and/or printing. User training and implementation of the new system will be rapid, minimizing any "down time." And this system can also be upgraded relatively easily and inexpensively in the future to add new capabilities as needed. The Zeiss LSM 510 META Confocal Microscope will best meet all of our specifications in one integrated system. The following salient characteristics apply to the LSM 510: UV Scopes -multiple pinholes for balancing of slice thickness between channels -2KX2K images with 8 or 12 bit acquisition -Optical Correction for individual objective lenses via motorized collimator optics -Beam blanking on fly back -Software includes physiology acquisition, 3D rendering, stereo imaging, FRAP, FRET and Spectral acquisition – Capability to add optional packages for Advanced 3D, DeConvolution, Topography and Image Analysis available. Software now allows LIVE analysis during collection most software modules like 3D, Colocalization, histograms, Orthogonal sectioning. -“REUSE” button allows system conditions to be restored from a previously collected image with a single key stroke. -Integrated environment control with TFT control panel Scanning Modes -Spot Scan, Line Scan, Frame Scan -z stack and time series acquisition and Lambda Stack acquisition -Real ROI scan, FREE form ROI -Sp line Scan (along a freehand drawn line) -Step Scan (scans every nth line and interpolates) -full 360` scan rotation, scan zoom and offset (no x/y stage centering needed) -uni- and bidirectional scan -Multitracking and Metatracking – high speed excitation and emission multiplexing for brilliant crosstalk free images 405 UV excitation -405 excitation for PA-GFP, Photo Convertibles, as well as CFP FRET work -Separate collimating lens for automatic correction of UV and VIS -Full AOTF control of attenuation and line selection of 405 in.1 degree intervals. META detection module -32 channel PMT -spectral separation using special grating for efficient, even dispersion of emission signal along the 32 PMT elements -fast electronic selection and multiplexing of detector elements for oLambda Stack acquisition pixel by pixel ofree definable channels oMetatracking – high speed electronic switching of wavelength ranges for collection from the spectral detection unit Emission Fingerprinting -Rapid Spectral curve generation using Lamda stack via easy ROI selection -On-line and Offline spectral separation of lambda stack channels -Spectral separation of full resolution image data(pixel by pixel analysis of lambda stack information) -Spectral collection and separation accomplished with whole emission signal and complete elimination crosstalk -Spectral analysis algorithms must handle emission crosstalk as well as excitation crosstalk -Must be applicable for highly overlapping emission spectra, like with multiple of the fluorescent proteins GFP and variants or e.g. FITC and Sytox Green -Used to eliminate background such as broadband auto-fluorescence signals -Completely integrated modules into the standard LSM software. Must incorporate easy to use software with 3 clear step process oacquisition of Lambda Stack(s) oselection of reference spectra (within ROIs) oseparation of channels by Linear Unmixing Lambda Stack Acquisition -acquisition of the whole emission spectrum -no signal restriction as opposed to imaging using band passes -user definable wavelength range -fast, electronic selection of detector elements (no moving parts Linear Unmixing -digital separation of emission signals into image channels -produces crosstalk free multi-fluorescence images based on Lambda Stacks and measured reference spectra Multitracking concept -multi-channel imaging with no emission crosstalk -reliable co-localization studies -beam blanking outside ofast switching between different excitation channels osynchronous control of scanning, Metatracking -enhanced Multitracking using fast electronic multiplexing of META detector elements -free definition of wavelength range of META channels -signal detection with overlapping band pass channels -combination of single detector channels and binned META detector channels using multiple pinhole settings Real-ROI (region of interest) concept -improved functionality for physiology studies -switching of laser excitation for pixel precise ROI scanning and ROI bleaching -measure FRET, FRAP within selected areas of the sample -combined with Multitracking and Lambda Stack acquisition DSP control of scanning, acquisition, laser excitation and trigger I/O -highly efficient scanning scheme for better quantitative measurements -constant velocity scanning for all speeds -even illumination along scanning field with identical pixel conditions -easily changed scanning and detection settings while scanning -allows precise sample manipulation like bleaching (FRAP) or ROI-scan -sample preservation via enhanced beam blanking -high scan speeds (higher than video rate possible): o77 fps (512x32), 20 fps (512x128), 5 fps (512x512) oadditional increase of scan speeds using definable Step Scan rate oLine and Spot Scan for ultra high-speed processes -very short frame fly back time (< 2% of frame cycle) for efficient time lapse studies possible with DSP controlled symmetrical x/y scanners. This is not a solicitation for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party believes they can meet the above requirement, they may submit a statement of capabilities. All information furnished shall be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if it can meet the above unique specifications described herein. An original and one copy of the capability statement must be received in the NCI contracting office by 1:00 PM ET on August 7, 2008. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed (301) 402-4513 or emailed to Melissa Marino, Contract Specialist at marinome@mail.nih.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In order to receive an award, contractors must have valid registration and certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov and the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA), http://orca.bpn.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. Please reference NCI-80140-MM on all correspondence.
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