The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Cold Regions Research Laboratory (CRREL) Biogeochemical Sciences Branch (BSB) in Hanover, New Hampshire intends to award a contract on a sole source basis to Biolog, Inc. upon the basis of the authority provided at FAR 13.106-1(b)(1). ERDC-CRREL intends to procure a Biolog Generation III (GEN III) OmniLog® Combo Microbial Identification and Phenotype Microarray (PM) System and related training with the following specifications: 1. The Biolog Generation III (GEN III) OmniLog® Combo Microbial Identification and Phenotype Microarray (PM) System, which includes the OmniLog automated incubator, PC and reader system with associated software, and GEN III and PM microplates and related consumables. 2. The Gen III OmniLog Microbial Identification System will be able to identify1568 species of aerobic Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms on a single GEN III MicroPlate. In addition, the system will be able to identify 361 species of anaerobes, 267 species of yeast and 710 species of filamentous fungi through the addition of the MicroStation component using a unique microplate assay format that is proprietary to Biolog, Inc. 3. The Phenotype Microarray (PM) system will be able to analyze over 1900 cellular phenotypes using a total of potentially thirty (30) PM MicroPlates, 4. The OmniLog automated incubator will be capable of incubating and reading for up to fifty (50) Biolog MicroPlates (GENIII or PM) at one time with user-controlled temperature range from 22 to 45°C. The plates will be analyzed every fifteen minutes, data is captured, and the results are interpreted by the software and identification results are reported automatically by the system. 5. The OmniLog system will be capable of performing kinetic phenotypic assays to characterize bacteria, yeast, fungi, and mammalian cells and will be able to create individual metabolic curves over the assay period for each well of each MicroPlate. 6. The Biolog MicroPlates contain unique substrates in each well of the microplate that are utilized for identification and characterization by the system. The Biolog GEN III Inoculating Fluid for aerobic identification contains a proprietary re-dox dye-based chemistry used to indicate an organism’s capability to metabolize the various substrates loaded into the wells of the GEN III MicroPlate. This proprietary dye is dried down in the wells of the microplate for the anaerobe, yeast, and filamentous fungi microplates. No other microbial identification technology uses this substrate-based dye reduction technology. 7. The System must come with a PC specifically configured to operate the OmniLog and MicroStation instruments. No other PC configuration will work with Biolog’s OmniLog or MicroStation platforms. 8. GEN III Microbial Identification software is designed to interface only with the Biolog, Inc. Biolog, Inc. OmniLog automated incubator/reader. The results are interpreted by the software and identification results are reported automatically by the system. The software will have flexible data analysis features capable of allowing the end user to select and analyze data using defined parameters including, but not limited to slope, area under the curve and inflection times. 9. Species in the identification database must include environmental, marine, veterinary, agricultural, and clinical microorganisms. Upon identification the data management software must provide the top identification choices possible in the database. The system must allow the user to compare other patterns in the database with the identification presented. The system will have linkage to KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) for each well and PM plate for use in further data analysis. 10. Data management software must have self-diagnostic capability. The software must also have the capability of performing cluster analysis and allow the user to compare other patterns in the database with the identification presented and to allow for the creation of custom, user defined organism databases. 11. Data analysis software must be capable of comparing samples by overlaying metabolic curve results and selecting differences in patterns between multiple strains. 12. The software must be able to generate exportable data for use in third party software for analysis or reporting. Final reporting of data from automated analysis or user defined analysis showing wells with differences including plate and well location, substrate definition, degree of difference and intended mode of action for all substrates. Necessary accessories: 1. Phenotypic microarray plates 2. Redox dye and inoculating fluid for microarray plates 3. Phenotypic analysis and microbial identification software Biolog, Inc. has been identified as the only vendor capable of offering a product meeting the Government’s requirement of simultaneously identification of at least 2,650 microbial species and the ability to run at least 50 assays plates simultaneously. This OmniLog system is the only system in production that run more than one assay plate at a time. It is also the only system that combines the two aforementioned functionalities into one system. Biolog is the only distributor of its products in the USA. As such, Biolog is the only source available to meet the Government’s requirement. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516, which has a size standard of 1,000 employees. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. Any interested party that believes they can fulfill this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government's acquisition strategy. Responses to this notice shall be submitted NLT 12:00 PM EST, 13 September 2022 to
[email protected]. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses to this notice will not be considered as a response to any solicitation, a request to be added to a prospective offerors list, or to receive a copy of any solicitation. A determination by the Government not to compete the contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. To be eligible for award of a Government contract, vendors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), have no active exclusions, and complete the FAR and DFARS representations and certifications.