Description: This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Background: NIA has a need for a Live-Cell Analysis System. This live-cell analysis system will be used for high throughput studies of the effect of neurodegeneration-related mutations on critical cell biological processes in real time to set up advanced protocols for analyses. Purpose and Objectives: Briefly describe the purpose, objectives, and goals of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition. The required system will be used to identify converging mechanisms of disease across hundreds of isogenic iPSC-derived CNS cell types through analyzing cell growth and optimizing protocols. The unit will be taking live images as the cells mature in a controlled environment. The system shall fit into any standard incubator. Project requirements: Salient characteristics of the requested Live-Cell Analysis System are as follows: • The Optics shall be mobile and move to the areas being imaged. The cell culture vessels shall remain stationary during this process. • The objectives shall not need to be adjusted for any reason and shall capable of imaging in parallel any mixture of 6 assay plates that conform to the ANSI/SLAS standard for assay plates. These include 384-well microplates, 96-well microplates, 48-well plates, 24-well plates, 12-well plates, and 6-well plates. • It shall accommodate the following (but is not limited to the following) plastic tissue culture vessels: 92.6 cm2 Roboflask, 500 cm2 Tripleflask, 84 cm2 Autoflask, 225 cm2 flasks, 185 cm2 flasks, 182 cm2 flasks, 175 cm2 flasks, 162 cm2 flasks, 150 cm2 flasks, 75 cm2 flasks, 25 cm2 flasks, 35mm dishes, 60 mm dishes, 100mm dishes, 150mm dishes, chambered slides and microslides. • The system shall provide fully automated, hands-free operation for periods exceeding 25 days and must be designed to autofocus and autoexposure without intervention during this time period. The system shall return the optics to the same location in a repeated fashion without error over this same time period. • The software package shall have all the tools necessary to perform automated acquisition and subsequent viewing and analysis for 2D cultures. Purpose-built add-ons shall be available to easily address specific applications such as 3D spheroid cultures, chemotaxis, scratch wound migration, neurite outgrowth, and angiogenesis. • The software shall be capable of generating label free, time based, growth curves for cells in 2D and spheroid cultures. Mask, quantify and generate time-based curves based on fluorescence metrics from thousands of images using an intuitive interface including but not limited to: Fluorescent Count, Fluorescent Average Area, Fluorescent Total Area, Fluorescent Confluence, Fluorescent Mean Intensity, Fluorescent Average Integrated Intensity, Fluorescent Total Integrated Intensity, and Fluorescent Eccentricity. • The high definition phase contrast optics and two fluorescent wavelengths (red: ex565-605nm, em625-705nm; green: ex440-480nm, em504-544nm). The fluorescence optics shall be capable of reading, YoYo-3, mKate2, GFP, Alexa 488, intercalating DNA dyes, fluorescein or fluorescein derivatives. • The live-cell analysis system shall have a fluorescence calibration system that allows for comparison of fluorescence-based metrics derived from images on one instrument to metrics derived from images on another instrument. • The fluorescence calibration system shall allow for comparison of fluorescence-based metrics derived from images on one instrument to metrics derived from images on another instrument. The calibration system also enables comparison of intensity values for images that are captured with different objectives and at different acquisition times. Last, calibration shall enable automated correction of camera offset, illumination shape, and background signal from sources such as light leakage and auto-fluorescence of optical elements (e.g., dark-field and flat-field corrections). • The analysis system shall have high definition optics of the system that image standard 384 well tissue culture plates without any sidewall or meniscus effects. • The system shall have the following objectives on an automated turret: 4x PLAN, 10x PLAN FLUOR, and 20x PLAN FLUOR. • The system shall have a CMOS detector with low read noise and detector with linear response to changes in fluorescence. • The solution shall include onsite Installation and Training. Anticipated delivery: 60 days after receipt of order. Other important considerations: The unit must be in a tissue culture environment which is inside a cell culture incubator to monitor the cell growth and viability. The unit must be small enough to fit inside a traditional cell culture incubator otherwise if the cells cultures are analyzed outside it’s contained and stable environment, the data would not be consistent or reproducible. Capability statement /information sought. Respondent shall provide a capability statement that clearly identifies how their proposed solution may meet the Government’s needs. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc., pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to ten (10) page limit. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Diedra Prophet at e-mail address Diedra.Prophet@nihgov and Karen Mahon at
[email protected]. The response must be received on or before April 6, 2020, at 2:00 pm, Eastern Time. “ Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).”