FACS Cell Sorter Intent to Sole Source

The U.S. EPA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), with Becton, Dickson and Company for a Flourescent Activated Cell Sorter. The Cardiopulmonary Immunotoxicology Branch of the Environmental Public Health Division located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina requires instrumentation that will provide highly sensitive identification of cell populations through fluorescence. This instrument will also have the capability to sort these cell populations for retrieval for downstream applications. The EPA has identified Becton, Dickson and Company as the only company that can meet all of the following specifications that are needed: a) The system must be completely alignment free. Laser and optical alignments must be fixed alignments (no stepper motors) and require no user alignment. b) The cell sorter must have a gel coupled quartz cuvette where the laser beams interrogate the cells. c) The cell sorter must have a nozzle which can be easily removed during operation and capable of being sonicated for declogging when needed. Replacing the nozzle should occur quickly and easily so that sorting can resume in < 3 minutes without requiring optical/laser and stream realignment. d) The cell sorter must automate system startup, including de-bubbling the sheath fluid, and automate optimization of the drop-drive frequency, sheath pressures and amplitude of the sort stream. e) Clog detection must be automated. f) Owing to the large quantity of samples that will be run at a time, system start up including time from powerup to sample running (including stream optimization and optional performance checks) must be capable of being performed in < 20 minutes. g) The cell sorter must have a Blue 488 nm laser, a Red 640 nm laser, and a Violet 405 nm laser with 11 parameter forward scatter light (FSC), side scattered light (SSC), and 9 colors. h) The cell sorter must have spatially separated beams each with its own unique optical channel. i) The cell sorter optical filters must have an electronic identifier chip. This identifier chip communicates with computer updating system configuration after a filter has been changed. j) The forward and side scatter sensitivity must enable separation of 0.5-m beads from noise and performance must be optimized for resolving lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes. k) The cell sorter must have increased fluorescence sensitivity or the ability to measure low values (< 110) of molecule of equivalent soluble fluorochrome (MESF) to resolve dim (low fluorescence) cell populations (e.g., rare cell populations) l) Droplet sorting must be capable of performance at 34,000 drops per second. m) The system must allow for sample input into the sorter from 5.0-mL polystyrene or polypropylene tubes that can be temperature controlled and agitated to keep the sample constantly suspended n) The cell sorter must have the ability to one-way sort into a temperature controlled holder which supports 6-, 24-, 48-, 96- and 384-well plates. This must be controlled by the software with single or multiple cell deposition. o) The cell sorter must have the ability to two-way sort into a temperature controlled holder which supports 1.5-, 2.0, and 5.0-mL tubes. p) The cell sorter must have the ability to sort into a temperature controlled holder which supports microscope slides. q) The system must come an autoclavable 10-L stainless steel sheath that can be re-used and a 10-L polypropylene waste container. r) Due to the limitation of available lab space, the cell sorter system and fluidics tanks must reside in area that is no greater than 50 inches in width. In order to meet this specification, the contractor will provide a table/cart to accommodate the equipment. Additional accessory and operating requirements: a) The system must come with fluidic tanks that can be bundled into the purchase, including an autoclavable 10-L stainless steel sheath that can be re-used and a 10-L polypropylene waste container. b) The system must come with an air compressor (120 V/ 60 Hz, 0-120 Psi, 4 L). c) The system must come with an uninterrupted power manager (120 V/ 1440 VA). d) The system must come with a workstation computer with the necessary software capable of operating the equipment. e) The data collected from the system must be compatible for use on the FlowJo program. This will result in a firm-fixed price contract. We anticipate issuing a solicitation on or about August 12, 2019 The acquisition of these commercial services will be processed in accordance with FAR Parts 12 and 13. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. It is our intent to award a single fixed price purchase order to procure the required items. Interested firms may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Sources wishing to be considered MUST submit documentation to the office identified in this notice. Documentation must be submitted within 15 calendar days of the date of publication of this notice. Submit your capability statement in writing to Sean Young via email at young.sean@epa.gov. Telephone requests will not be honored.