SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Light Cycler 480 PCR System
- Notice Date
- 5/5/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 6120 Executive Blvd. EPS Suite 600, Rockville, MD, 20852
- ZIP Code
- 20852
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-NCI-60064-NV
- Response Due
- 5/15/2006
- Archive Date
- 5/30/2006
- Description
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Pathology (LP) plans to enter into a sole source procurement for a Light Cycler 480 PCR System from Roche Diagnostics Corporation, Roche Applied Science, PO Box 50414, 9115 Hague Road, Indianapolis, IN 48250. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 334516 and the business size standard is 500 employees. This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 ? Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR 13.5 to use simplified procedures for commercial acquisitions. Roche Diagnostics Corporation is the only source known to the NCI researcher that has a real-time PCR system that provides features that are required for their research and detailed below in their JOFOC. However, if any interested party believes it can perform requirement as detailed in the JOFOC they may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities and any other furnished information must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NCI researcher to determine if the party can perform this requirement. An original and one copy of the capability statement must be received in the contracting office by 1:00 pm EDT, on May 15, 2006. Faxed and emailed capability statements are NOT authorized. All questions must be in writing and may be emailed to Debbie Moore at dm170b@nih.gov or faxed (301) 402-4513. It is the vendor?s responsibility to call (301) 402-4509 and verify that questions were received. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed 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. In order to receive an award from the NCI contractors must be registered in the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA) in order to receive an award. Please refer to http://orca.bpn.gov in order to register. In addition, contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Part I: Background information and Description of Acquisition Title: Acquisition of Roche Light cycler 480 PCR System a device for Real time/quantitative PCR in a 96 or 384 multi-well platforms Purpose/Brief History: The Lab of Pathology at the NCI has a need to upgrade its current PCR system to the newest real time/quantative system available which is the Roche Light Cycler 480 System. Projects involve identifying small changes in gene expression (less than 50% difference). This requires complete consistency of temperature across the whole test platform during the amplification process. The Roche Light Cycler 480 patented system can provide uniform well temperature across the entire platform. This system is by far the fastest real-time PCR machine currently on the market. It cuts down on the amplification time from 3 to less than an hour thus increasing productivity. The Lab of Pathology often has to switch between 96 well and 384 well plates. The Light Cycler 480 is the only machine that can switch between 96 or 384 well test platform in minutes without additional calibration time. The Roche Light Cycler 480 PCR System uses a patented technology called Therma-Base to insure well-to-well temperature homogeneity unmatched by any other system. Therma-Base overcomes the ?spreading resistance? phenomenon that results in non-homogeneous temperature control across all other block based real-time PCR systems. The use of this technology for real-time PCR is unique to Roche and has been exclusively licensed and a use patent has been filed. Research involves identifying small (less than 50%) changes in gene expression. The Light Cycler 480 is able to provide the most accurate temperature control which will minimize the error due to amplification conditions and give a more accurate representation of the real m-RNA level in each sample tested. This will increase the accuracy and sensitivity of the experimental determinations. The Light Cycler 480 system is the only system that allows 96-well and 384 well test blocks to be switched in less than 5 minutes with no further warm-up or equilibration time. Further the system is ready for use as soon as the swap is completed without any lengthy calibration steps. The lab has to switch between 96-well and 384-well test platforms often depending on the number of samples and repeats it needs for each experiment. The Light Cycler 480 is the only machine that allows such switches in minutes and requires no additional calibration time. This will increase the efficiency by allowing the lab to perform multiple tests in one day without regard to the test platform used. The Light Cycle 480 system is the only real-time PCR system that can perform 30 cycle, 384-well runs in less than 40 minutes with 96-well runs requiring less than 1 hour. The current system requires 3 hours for each run. This will increase productivity by allowing the lab to test more samples in one work day. PART II: Facts and reasons to Justify Other than Full and Open Competition Statutory authority FAR 13.106(b)(1) 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 (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, or industrial mobilization). Justification: As stated above Roche Diagnostic Inc is the only manufacturer of such an instrument (Light Cycler 480 System) that can insure well-to-well temperature homogeneity via the patented Therma-Based technology. The Roche Light cycler 480 system is also the only one that allows 96-well and 384-well platform interchangeability in minutes with no need for extensive recalibration and the Roche Light Cycler 480 is the only real-time PCR system that can perform 30 cycle amplification in under an hour.
- Record
- SN01042643-W 20060507/060505221539 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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