NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE Nexcelom Cellometer Spectrum - including 3 fluorescent optic modules, 2 licenses for Flow Cytometry Software (FCS) express software, 900 Disposable plastic cell counting chambers The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in Research Triangle Park, NC intends to award a sole source purchase order under authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures to Nexcelom Biosciences, LLC to purchase a Nexcelom Cellometer Spectrum - including 3 fluorescent optic modules, 2 licenses for FCS express software, 900 Disposable plastic cell counting chambers. Nexcelom is a U.S. Minority woman owned company specializing in producing equipment to count and measure characteristic of cells, algae and other particles. Its mission coupled with its equipment and applications focuses on the acquisition, counting, and measuring biophysical parameters to form these cell lines and biological materials. (www.nexcelom.com/). It is manufactured in ISO 9001:2015 as a registered company. Nexcelom has a track record of supporting federally funded research institutions with reliable services and products including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other government institutions. Nexcelom offers substantial price breaks for non-profit and government institutions. Nexcelom has an extensive track-record of applying scientific rigor to the characterization, accurate identification and counting of the biological materials they supply to the biological sciences community. The mission of the USEPA¿s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) is to integrate advances in biology, biotechnology, chemistry and computer science to identify important biological processes that may be disrupted by chemicals and combine that information to help prioritize chemicals in terms of potential human health risks. Specifically, the Nexcelom Cellometer Spectrum provides the following: ¿ 2 fluorescence images and one bright field image on the same sample ¿ 10-x objective. A 10-x objective that yields higher fluorescent sensitivity and smaller size detection. Competitors have only a 4x or 5x objective ¿ Unit can count 1/2-micron particles ¿ smallest size competitors can only measure 5 and 7 microns - EPA needs to be able to count algae and cyanobacteria which have a size as slow as 1um. ¿ Data is compatible with FCS Express 6.0 to allow it to be put into a format that is used currently in EPA¿s laboratory to handle cytometry type data. This is a unique Cellometer Spectrum System that can accurately handle cell counts of small particles (less than 5 microns) and provide consistent counts for samples at higher concentrations. It does not require fluidics due to improved throughput of cell counting / cell-based assays. This spectrum system requires minimal sample dilution and yields consistent reproducible data because of its wide dynamic range for cell concentration (105 and 107) cells/ml. The Cellometer Spectrum System provided by Nexcelom is only supplied by Nexcelom and the cellometer spectrum uses FCS express software which is compatible with the data output currently used with the flow cytometry lab equipment in NHEERL. The circumstances permitting is FAR 13.106-1b ¿Soliciting from a single source¿. All interested parties who believe they can provide the required services should fully explain their capabilities and qualifications in writing within 7 days from the date of this announcement and provide itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. The intent of this notice is to determine if any other sources(s) exist, and therefore, no solicitation is available. Consequently, anyone failing to provide the aforementioned and instead chooses to merely submit a routine letter requesting a copy of the statement of work or more information about the project will be ignored. The information received to this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. Please submit response ONLY to Marsha Johnson at
[email protected]. No telephone or faxed requests will be honored.