SOURCES SOUGHT
65 -- Acquisition of a Chameleon Automated CryoEM Sample Preparation Platform
- Notice Date
- 6/8/2020 1:13:29 PM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NICHD BETHESDA MD 20817 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20817
- Solicitation Number
- NICHD-20-119
- Response Due
- 6/15/2020 6:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 06/30/2020
- Point of Contact
- Amber Harris
- E-Mail Address
-
amber.harris@nih.gov
(amber.harris@nih.gov)
- Description
- SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (Acquisition of a Chameleon Automated CryoEM Sample Preparation Platform) AGENCY: The National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) TITLE: Acquisition of a Chameleon Automated CryoEM Sample Preparation Platform PROPOSED SOLICITATION NUMBER: NICHD-20-119 PROJECT SERVICE CODE: 6515 - MEDICAL AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. There is no solicitation available at this time. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of all qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification according to the North American Industry Classification System, (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set- aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. BACKGROUND: Recent advances in cryo-EM have led to an explosion of interest in the technique for increasingly challenging structural biology projects. Producing quality frozen grids with vitreous ice of an appropriate thickness and evenly distributed particles remains one of the major bottlenecks in the structure determination process. Currently, highly skilled manual handling needs to be learnt to avoid physical grid damage. Poor traceability of storage locations can also lead to grid losses. Feedback on ice quality requires costly screening on an electron microscope, time better used for more productive data collection. chameleon�s aim is to enable automated, rapid progress to the optimum ice thickness for a range of samples, even those handled by researchers relatively new to cryo-EM. Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) allows researchers to determine high-resolution 3D protein structures in a more native state (sub 3 Angstrom) without the need of crystallization. In recent years the field has witnessed a boom with its application to protein structure problems. The Multi-Institute CryoEM Facility (MICEF) currently possesses a high-resolution cryo-EM microscope, Titan KriosCryo Transmission Electron Microscope, that serves ~37 users from 18 labs in the four participating Institutes and Centers (ICs). �With this high demand each user will receive time on the Krios only once every 3 months, creating a large delay in data collection and productivity. �This severely hampered the research progress of the participating research programs and associated institutions. This Sources Sought is for an organization or institution to to provide the NIDDK with a Chameleon automated CryoEM sample preparation platform which can provide a rapid and efficient path to quality frozen grids for cryo-EM. �The purchase of this instrument is necessary to maintain the high quality of our research. �Chameleon is a blot-free, pico-litre sample vitrification instrument that offers high-speed plunging, virtually no manual handling, and record keeping for future repeatability. All qualified small businesses, whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; interested in submitting a corporate capability statement should demonstrate their capability to provide equipment that meets the characteristics below. SALIENT / REQUIRED FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS: Total system price includes both delivery and inside delivery, assembly, installation, 12 months on-site labor and parts warranty (excluding consumables), and on-site basic operation/maintenance training.� Chameleon automated CryoEM sample preparation platform/Installation: Chameleon automated CryoEM sample preparation platform Integrated closed loop glow discharge module Additional Cryogen Bowl Assembly Starter pack of consumables included: self-wicking grids for chameleon (pack of 50) sample source vials - pack of 100 methanol source vials - pack of 100 Chameleon ethanol vials (pack of 50) dispenser touch-off pads � two types each a pack of 30 included source bottles (set of 4) Optional products/services provided after award: NRTL site acceptance testing Chameleon grid handling tweezers (set of 1) replacement picoliter dispense module (1 unit) Self-wicking grids - Copper/Carbon Chameleon 12 Month TTPlatinum Service Contract ? Additional Characteristics Producing quality frozen grids with vitreous ice of an appropriate thickness and evenly distributed particles remains one of the major bottlenecks in the structure determination process. �The Chameleon has several advantages over our current freezing machines:� ��� �Only pico-liter volumes of samples are used instead of microliters. This is essential for many difficult sample preps that can take months to years to optimize and purify. �� ��� �Good ice thickness (~100 nm) from Chameleon is far more consistent than produced from our current freezing machines ��� �It is blot-free at a high speed. The current machines take ~5 seconds to freeze the sample compared to 50-100 milliseconds with the Chameleon. This reduces the common air-water interface damage that leads to poor data quality. � ��� �Easier to use for novice users, with simple workflows, setup and cleaning. � ��� �Provides record keeping for future repeatability. It captures all grid parameters and images that can be repeated when freezing conditions are optimized. � ��� �Screen fewer grids with Chameleon due the visual imaging of the grid while freezing. � ��� �Virtually no manual handling of the grids during freezing. The automation in Chameleon eliminates grid damage that is common with other freezing machines due to by manual handling. � TASKS AREAS Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall perform all the detailed Task Areas listed below: Task Area 1 � Payment Terms � Placement of order/40% ---Delivery/50% --- Site acceptance/10% Task Area 2 � Delivery � Contractor shall inside deliver all new equipment and provide installation and super user training for 2 operators from the laboratory.� Task Area 3 � Installation �T The lab will contact the vendor to schedule installation upon receipt. Installation should be completed in one week by one SPT Labtech engineer. � Task Area 4 � Inspection & Acceptance Criteria � The Project Officer or the Project Officer Supervisor will perform inspection and acceptance of materials and services to be provided. Inspection and acceptance will be done AFTER all materials are unpacked, installed, and test run for operation. Receiving will be completed no later than 7 days following date of Delivery and does not constitute acceptance and Delivery.� Inspection and acceptance will be performed at the place of installation �� National Institutes of Health, NIDDK, 9000 Rockville Pike, Maryland 20892. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This is a competitive requirement conducted under the authority of FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal. �This is a requirement for a TTP LABTECH LTD Chameleon automated CryoEM sample preparation platform. � The vendor will be evaluated on their quoted product meeting the specifications under section SALIENT / REQUIRED FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS. If you or your firm/business has an interest and possess the required expertise we invite you to submit a corporate capability statement to assist the Government in determining in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b) whether or not this procurement will be set-aside for any of the programs described above. The associated NAICS code is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, and the small business size standard is 1,000. �All respondents are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business. Interested firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice should adhere to the following: (a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities. The capability statement should not exceed 15 pages using a font size 10 or larger. (b) Small business concerns that possess the capabilities necessary to undertake the efforts should submit complete documentation of their capabilities to the Contracting Officer. This capability statement should include: 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of scientists, medical experts, and technical personnel as they relate to the requirements, 3) a description of general and specific facilities and equipment available, including computer equipment and software, and 4) any other specific and relevant information that would improve the Government's consideration and evaluation of the information presented. Further, Past Performance documentation, which should include, but not be limited to, a minimum of two (2) contracts performed for either Government or commercial organizations shall be provided. References shall include for each contract: names, titles, contract number, total price or cost, telephone numbers of government Contracting Officer Representative and Contracting Officers. (c) All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to the Point of Contact below in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The subject line must specify NICHD-20-119. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Electronically submitted capability statements are due no later than 9:00 AM (Eastern Prevailing Time) seven (7) calendar days (including date of submission to https://beta.sam.gov) after posting of the Small Business Sources Sought Notice. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/c0d488372ec14d18865c2bb09dc68f10/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Zip Code: 20892
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN05683864-F 20200610/200608230153 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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