Sole Source Notice: Millipore ImageStreamX Mark II Upgrade

The Uniformed Services University (USU) is the Nation's Federal health sciences university and we are committed to excellence in military medicine and public health during peace and war. We provide the Nation with health professionals dedicated to career service in the Department of Defense (DoD) and the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and with scientists who serve the common good. We serve the uniformed services and the Nation as an outstanding academic health sciences center with a worldwide perspective for education, research, service, and consultation; we are unique in relating these activities to military medicine, disaster medicine, and military medical readiness. USU is located in Bethesda, MD on the grounds of the Naval Support Activity Bethesda. The USU intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with EMD Millipore Corporation to upgrade existing Millipore ImageStreamX Mark II. This upgrade will be procured in accordance with the procedures of FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items and FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Sole source determination is made in accordance with: FAR subpart 13.106-1 Soliciting Competition (b) Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. The mission of USU is to provide the highest quality education programs in the health sciences to those selected individuals who demonstrate dedication to a health profession career in the Uniformed Services. As such, it is essential USU provide the necessary training and equipment required for our students to become successful doctors and nurses and to be able to provide the best care possible for our soldiers and to support our research efforts. Millipore ImageStream X Mark II is a high-resolution microscope for suspended cells. USU Departments of Pediatrics, Surgery, Pathology, and Microbiology all use this instrument and they have the need to extend the number of fluorochromes for increased detection. Currently the instrument has 2 lasers for excitation and 6 channels for bright field and emission detection. USU plans to expand the number of lasers for excitation by installing a 405nm camera and the number of detection channels to 12 with an additional camera. This upgrade is proprietary to EMD Millipore Corp. and no third-party company is authorized to provide this requirement by EMD Millipore Corp. EMD Millipore Corp. is the only known source that can fulfill our requirement. This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ) and a solicitation package will not be issued. Sources interested in responding to this requirement must be able to provide compelling evidence that they can provide the abovementioned requirement as specified. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contractual action based upon responses received is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses must be submitted via email to contact@example.gov by 10:00PM EST on June 10, 2016.