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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF MARCH 03, 2016 FBO #5214
DOCUMENT

65 -- Scientifica ScliceScope Pro 2000 or Equal - Attachment

Notice Date

3/1/2016
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

333314 — Optical Instrument and Lens Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office 20;8524 N Wall St;Spokane WA 99208
 

ZIP Code

99208
 

Solicitation Number

VA26016N0272
 

Response Due

3/10/2016
 

Archive Date

6/8/2016
 

Point of Contact

Karen.Rhodes@va.gov
 

E-Mail Address

karen.rhodes@va.gov
(karen.rhodes@va.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a solicitation for bids, proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. The responses received from interested contractors will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office (NCO) 20, is conducting market research to identify potential sources which can provide the following: Performance Characteristics - electrophysiology recording set up, microscope and micromanipulator - Scientifica SliceScope Pro 2000, IR-DIC Components, Nosepiece and Objectives, Fluorescence Components, Camera and Camera Mount, Anti-Vibration Table, Electrophysiology components or equal. Essential System Feature: Required is a system that allows movement of microscope translation stage with integrated and automatic movements of micromanipulators to easily and seamlessly keep microelectrodes in the field of view while an investigator is scanning tissue. This integrated movement feature is critical. General Description: Making high-resolution, electrophysiological measurements from living neurons in acute brain slices requires several specialized pieces of equipment. These include a high quality microscope with differential interference contrast/infrared optics and fluorescent capabilities to visualize neurons, a vibration isolation air table with Faraday cage to minimize mechanical and electrical noise, a patch clamp amplifier with an analog/digital converter and acquisition/analysis software, and micromanipulators to position microelectrodes in the brain slice preparation The specific elements and required characteristics of these equipment are listed below. 1.Microscope Microscope must have two objectives to visualize tissue, including a 20x air objective and a water-immersion 40x objective. The microscope must have a 780 nm LED light source that is suitable for infrared-differential interference contrast (IR-DIC), Dodt contrast, and oblique illumination microscopy. The microscope needs to be equipped with a polarizer, DIC condenser, above- and below-sample DIC prism, and an analyzer. The microscope must have capabilities for fluorescent microscopy with a fixed, two-wavelength light source to allow excitation of fluorescent molecules. The fluorescence capability also requires filter cube sets for excitation/emission at 470 nm/525 nm (green fluorescent protein, GFP) and 560 nm/630 nm (mCherry). The microscope must have a fixed specimen stage with perfusion chamber. The microscope must have a remotely-controlled, motorized translation stage for the microscope. The microscope must have remotely-controlled, motorized focusing for both objective and condenser. The microscope must have the capability to easily exchange specimen stages to allow use for both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The microscope must have a high-resolution (1.3 Megapixel or greater) digital video camera system with a monitor. The camera must have be able to take 30 frames per second or greater and have USB connectivity. 2.Micromanipulators In addition to the microscope, the electrophysiology recording setup requires two micromanipulators to position microelectrodes and other probes within the tissue specimen. These micromanipulators must have fine resolution movements (<1 µm), be electrically silent to prevent introduction of electrical artifacts, and be ultra-stable (less than 1 µm drift in 1 hour). The micromanipulators must have controls to allow remote control of micromanipulator movement. The micromanipulators must be highly adaptable to allow holding probes or headstage pre-amplifiers at several different heights, angles, and positions to allow maximal flexibility of microelectrode and probe positioning for in vitro or in vivo experiments. The micromanipulators must be able to be converted between right-hand and left-hand configurations. 3.Integrated Microscope and Micromanipulator: The complex electrophysiology experiments we perform require multiple microelectrodes or other probes need to be precisely positioned on or near visualized neurons in brain slices using micromanipulators. This is a technically difficult and time consuming process fraught with complications (i.e. breaking electrodes, injuring brain slice, losing electrodes out of the highly-magnified field of view, etc ¦). We require a system that provides software to couple movements of the microscope translation stage to automatic, compensatory movements of micromanipulators to easily and seamlessly keep microelectrodes in the field of view while an investigator is scanning tissue. The software must be able to send accurate serial commands to equipment to generate reproducible movements of microscope and micromanipulators. This capacity is invaluable for the complex in vitro experiments we perform on neurons in acute brain slices, that include paired recordings from two neurons, focal drug application to various locations of the hippocampus while recording from neurons, and positioning stimulating electrodes while recording from neurons. 4.Patch clamp amplifier and data acquisition system We require a patch-clamp amplifier that comes with two headstage preamplifiers to allow paired patch clamp recordings, an analog to digital converter, and data acquisition/analysis software. We require Molecular Devices equipment and software that is compatible with existing equipment in the laboratory, laboratory personnel have expertise with these equipment. The essential equipment include a Molecular Devices MultiClamp 700B amplifier, a Molecular Devices Digidata 1550A analog-digital converter, and pClamp10 software. 5.Anti-vibration air table and Faraday Cage Making cellular recordings requires a highly-stable, vibration-isolation air table. We require a high performance table that is 30 inch x 36 inch x 4 inch with a full perimeter enclosure. A Faraday cage that is 30 inch x 36 inch x 40 inch high is required to limit electrical noise. We require an air table with retractable casters to allow easy movement of the air table. 6.Warranty and technical support A two year warranty on all equipment is essential. It is essential that supplier of the microscope and micromanipulators provides technical support and performs the initial installation of the microscope and system. It is essential that all equipment arrive at the same time so that the supplier of the microscope can install the system. Potential offerors having the capabilities necessary to provide the above stated equipment are invited to respond to this Sources Sought Notice via e-mail to Karen Rhodes at Karen.Rhodes@va.gov no later than March 10, 2016. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. RESPONSES SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: company name, address, and business size; point of contact name, phone number, and e-mail address; suggested equipment information including manufacturer, model and delivery schedule; whether system is presently offered on a current GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract. NAICS Code 333314 and Small Business Size Standard 500 employees are applicable to determine business size standard. Any questions or concerns may also be directed to Karen Rhodes via e-mail. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This Sources Sought 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. The Government will treat any information received as proprietary and will not share such information with other companies. Any organization responding to this Sources Sought 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. The Government may or may not issue a solicitation as a result of this announcement. There is no solicitation available at this time.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/SpVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA26016N0272/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA260-16-N-0272 VA260-16-N-0272.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2589715&FileName=VA260-16-N-0272-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2589715&FileName=VA260-16-N-0272-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Seattle VAMC;1660 S. Columbian Way;Seattle, WA

Zip Code: 98108
 

Record

SN04035071-W 20160303/160301234248-e36acf30b4c2c99ee977d262256cc582 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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