Active

Contract Opportunity

Notice of Sources Sought

The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Small Business Manufacturers, other Small Businesses interested and capable of providing items requested, as well as any large businesses. The results from this source sought notice will be used to determine set-aside.

The intended contract is a firm-fixed price supply purchase.

The SBA Non-Manufacturer Rule is applicable, and a waiver will not be sought for this potential acquisition.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, NCO20 is looking for BRAND NAME or EQUAL sources of the following:

CellScape COMPLETE - including CellScape ChipCytometry scanner, CellScape Imager, PlexFLO fluidics, ScanPc, ScanServer, all required accessories. Also includes installation, training, one year service agreement
Quantity: 1

CellScape FalconFast Upgrade: FalconFast Upgrade to CellScape ChipCytometry Scanner, includes parts, installation, and training
Quantity: 1
Required Salient Characteristics:
The equipment must meet the minimum of the following:
Research Services is planning to acquire an instrument that will enable their researchers to perform spatial proteomic analysis on cell and tissue samples. Acquisition of the instrument will aid in the development of improved diagnostics for the Veterans served by the VHA. The instrument must be automated, performing all sample staining steps and subsequent imaging, allowing the researcher to walk-away.
The instrument must fit on a standard laboratory benchtop and have dimensions that are no larger than 6 feet wide X 2 feet deep X 30 inches high. The accompanying data components should fit in the space under the bench with dimensions no larger than 36 inches wide X 20 inches deep and 30 inches high.
The instrument must be compatible with the existing electrical service of 110/120 volts.
The instrument must be compatible with a wide range of sample types, including tissues (formalin-fixed & formalin fixed paraffin-embedded) and fluid samples (including PBMCs, whole bloods, cerebrospinal fluid).
The samples applied to the (chips) must be stable for a minimum of 2 years.
The instrument must be automated to stain multiple marker proteins on chips (slides) with fluorescent antibodies with a minimum capacity of 4 slides per run.
The chips must have iterative staining capability, i.e., to withstand multiple rounds of staining and quenching of fluorescent signal to facilitate multiplex marker staining capability.
The chips must be compatible with the use of open-sourced antibodies to maximize the use of uncommon antibodies.
After staining, the instrument must be able to scan the fluorescently tagged markers and provide an output format of both HDR TIFF image files and traditional flow-cytometry-like FCS files.
From the scanned image data, the analysis software must enable users to determine phenotype and quantitate expression levels of the stained marker proteins at the individual cell level.

Statement of Work:
Research s purchase of a Canopy Biosciences CellScape system will involve the delivery of the following contractor provided services: instrument installation, user training, warranty, and preventative maintenance services.
Background. Research Services at the Boise VA Medical Center will be purchasing a Canopy Biosciences CellScape system to perform automated multiplex staining and imaging of the stained biomarkers at a single cell level from biological samples. Acquisition of this technology will aid in the development of better diagnostics for Veterans by bringing state-of-the-art pathology to the VHA.
General Requirements. The manufacturer requires that installation of the instrument, troubleshooting of malfunctions, necessary repairs, and the training of staff be provided by only Canopy Biosciences authorized service engineers.
Tasks:
Initial Installation. Contractor must provide a field application specialist to install the instrument and train end-users.
Preventative Maintenance. One annual preventative maintenance visit during the period of performance, date to be determined after installation.
Technical Support Service. Contractor must provide support to resolve technical issues via VA approved communication platforms during standard business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, MST.
Repairs. The contractor must respond to all emergency service requests within 2 days of the initial call to troubleshoot the issue. The cost of all labor, parts and associated travel must be covered by the contractor during the period of performance.
Place of Performance. The CellScape will be installed in building 117, room 128 at the Boise VA Medical Center, 500 W. Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702 and will use existing bench space and electrical receptacles. No modifications will be necessary.
Period of Performance. A 12-month period with the starting date to be determined pending the completion of the installation of the instrument and training of staff. Invoices may be certified for payments after the start date.
Performance Monitoring. The tasks will be monitored by the point of contact (POC), or an alternative end-user designee. The contractor must provide a service report to the POC for the yearly service check as well as any additional repair visit(s), within 2 weeks of the visit. The service reports will be either in the form of an electronic PDF or a hardcopy. The POC will save a copy of the report for the instrument s service records and notify the approver of the contract, the Administrative Officer (AO) of Research Services that the services were rendered.
Security Requirements. The instrument will be stand alone, requiring no connection to the VA internet network. All contractor visits to the facility must be pre-scheduled with the POC. Upon arrival at the facility, the contractor will check in with the POC and will be escorted while in the secured Research building. The contractor will not require the use of the VA internet network to perform any of their tasks. Therefore, they will not have access to the VA intranet or patient information via the system. The C&A requirements do not apply, and that a Security Accreditation Package is not required.
Other Pertinent Information or Special Considerations. The contractor must provide Canopy Biosciences trained and authorized service engineers/technicians to perform the contracted services and repairs as required by the manufacturer.

Payment. The invoice must be submitted via the Financial Services Center Mandatory Electronic Invoice System, Tungsten and include the following information: contractor name, services performed, period of performance and purchase order number.

Hours of Coverage & Federal Holidays. Planned Maintenance Service will be provided during the regular working hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, five days a week, excluding the following legal federal holidays:

New Year s Day Jan 1st
Martin Luther King Day 3rd Monday in January
President s Day 3rd Monday in February
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Juneteenth June 19th
Independence Day July 4th
Labor Day 1st Monday in September
Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October
Veteran Day November 11th
Thanksgiving 4th Thursday in November
Christmas December 25th

Delivery Schedule.

TASK
DATE(S)
DOCUMENTATION
DELIVERY DATES
DOCUMENT RECIPIENT
Installation
To be determined after delivery
Service Report
Within 2 weeks of visit
1 copy to POC
Training
Concurrent with installation
Service Report
Within 2 weeks of visit
1 copy to POC
Invoice
Completion of installation and training
Copy of invoice
Within 2 weeks of visit
1 copy to POC
Year 1 visit
Scheduled PM date to be determined after installation
Service Report
Within 2 weeks of visit
1 copy to POC
Emergency call(s)
As necessary
Service Report
Within 2 weeks of visit
1 copy to POC

Required Information in Your Response to Sources Sought:
In order to be considered a valid source that can impact the set-aside determination of a possible future solicitation, potential contractors shall provide, at a minimum, the following information to peter.park2@va.gov:

1) Company name, address, and point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, and UEI.

2) Please identify your company s size in comparison to the anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334516 Laboratory Analytical Instruments Manufacturing. To be considered a small business your company must have fewer than 1,000 employees. This notice is to determine the marketplace for this specific requirement. Please check one of the following:

[ ] yes [ ] no Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Small Business Manufacturers
[ ] yes [ ] no All other Small Business (SB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Other than Small Business

3) Any Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must provide a SBA certification and be registered with U.S. Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) located at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/.

4) If not a manufacturer, only authorized representatives/providers/distributors of the manufacturer will be considered. Equipment must be new, no used or refurbished equipment accepted. Please provide a proof of authorized dealer or reseller letter from manufacturer.

5) Please provide a courtesy quote in response to this request to evaluate price reasonableness for any set-aside determination.

6) This is a brand name or equal requirement. As such, the salient characteristics reflect the physical, functional, or performance characteristics that equal products must meet to satisfy the Government s needs. To be considered for any potential solicitation, offers of equal products, including equal products of the brand name manufacturer, must:

(a) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this sources sought; clearly identify the item by Brand name, if any and make/model number.

(b) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to descriptive data or information available that identifies that the equal item meets or exceeds EACH of the salient characteristics required by the Government. Government will not perform further research if the information provided is unclear whether it meets any required salient characteristic.

7) Please identify the country of origin for all items. If it is a foreign end product, fill out the following:

Item
Country of origin
* Exceeds 55% domestic content (yes/no)




* For COTS items, the 55% (now 60%) domestic content test is waived.
The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought notice. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued.

Notice to Potential Offerors: All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System Award Management (SAM located on the web at www.sam.gov). It is desirable that any Offeror to have completed their business Online Representations and Certifications Application in the System for Award Management (SAM).
Shipping Address:
Boise VA Medical Center
500 W Fort St
Boise, ID 83702

Point of Contact:
Peter Park
Contracting Officer
peter.park2@va.gov

Response Deadline:
04/04/2024 by 3:00pm Pacific Time

Attachments/Links