SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Laboratory Equipment Upgrade
- Notice Date
- 7/2/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-(AR)-SBSS-2014-166-IM
- Archive Date
- 8/1/2014
- Point of Contact
- Iris Merscher, Phone: 3014350365
- E-Mail Address
-
iris.merscher@nih.gov
(iris.merscher@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- 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. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. A. BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Health (NIH) mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The Laboratory of Structural Biology Research (LSBR) is part of the Intramural Research Program (IRP) and is specialized in detailed structural analysis of macromolecules, macromolecular complexes, and subcellular structures by computer-enhanced electron microscopy. The goal of these studies is to elucidate structure-function relationships at the molecular level with particular emphasis on systems that bear directly on the missions of the National Institute of Arthritis and musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Since its inception, the LSBR has specialized in detailed structural analysis of macromolecules, macromolecular complexes, and subcellular structures by computer-enhanced electron microscopy. The goal of these studies is to elucidate structure-function relationships at the molecular level with particular emphasis on (but not restricted to) systems that bear directly on the mission of NIAMS. This program was initiated in 1978 with the appointment of a tenure-track investigator (the Project Officer), and progressed to become a Section in 1984, and further to Laboratory status in 1990. A typical research project involves recording electron micrographs of the highest possible quality, subjecting them to digital image analysis to elicit the maximum amount of structural information, and interpretation, taking into account all pertinent complementary data. In this context, the LSBR has performed ground-breaking studies on cytoskeletal filaments, virus particles and antigens, and complex enzymes among other important biomedical specimens. The results achieved depend both on the quality of the primary data (electron microscope images) and the scope of computer analysis. Cryo-electron microscopy - the technique of visualizing organic specimens suspended in vitreous ice - was introduced in the 1980s and has revolutionized what is achievable. The LSBR has been to the fore in these advances and in 1997 accomplished the landmark result of extending the resolution on isolated complexes below 1 nanometer for the first time. In order to maintain the LSBR program at the cutting-edge of this research field, it is necessary to periodically upgrade the hardware used in the lab. Specifically, a major technical advance has been made with the recent introduction of large-format digital cameras of much greater sensitivity and electron-collecting efficiency than was achieved in previous generations of these instruments. Thus, to take advantage of these advances in instrumentation and stay at the forefront of the field, the LSBR is in need of a 4k x 4k direct electron detection camera for capturing electron micrographs. Recent developments in electron microscope cameras have made direct electron detection a reality. With the elimination of the scintillator, the electron-to-light conversion layer necessary in typical CCD cameras, direct detection cameras promise unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. With the advent of this new technology, the prospect of recording low-dose, high-resolution electron micrograph digitally rather than on traditional film is now a reality. The lab will also benefit from a reduced need for silver-based photochemistry and a decreased dependence on EM film. Since the images recorded on such device will be in a digital format, the time-consuming step of digitalizing (scanning) electron micrographs, as is currently done with traditional film, will be eliminated. B. Purpose and Objectives In order to maintain the LSBR program at the cutting-edge of this research field, it is necessary to periodically upgrade the hardware used in the lab. Specifically, the LSBR is in need of a 4k x 4k direct electron detection camera to capture micrographs. Recent developments in electron microscope cameras have made direct electron detection a reality. With the elimination of the scintillator, the electron-to-light conversion layer necessary in typical CCD cameras, direct detection cameras promise unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. With the advent of this new technology, the prospect of recording high-resolution electron micrographs digitally without loss of information and with enhanced sensitivity compared to the traditional medium of film is becoming a reality. The intent of the Laboratory is to purchase one (1) Falcon 2 System ((with upgrade to Falcon 3), Retractable, 4k x 4k Direct Detection Camera, Camera Embedding, Tecnai 4.x and EPU software/licenses, CCD Interface flange, Installation & Training (Package consists of part numbers 1033244, 1025083, 1025080, FP 6341/26, 4022 400 05001, FP 5351/40, 4022 400 44351). NO REFURBISHED OR USED SYSTEMS ARE ACCEPTABLE. C. Project/Contractor Requirements: Contractor shall deliver and install the following: - Falcon 2 System with upgrade to Falcon 3. - Must be compatible with a Tecnai F30He (Polara) transmission electron microscope and capable of operating at electron energies up to 300 keV. -Must be on-axis, bottom mounted and retractable and must accommodate mounting of a Gatan GIF2002 energy filter below the direct detector housing. - Must be a direct electron detection camera with a back-thinned CMOS sensor of 4k x 4k pixel format or larger and allow direct acquisition of digital data under low dose (≤20 e-/Å2 at the specimen) conditions. - Continuous full-frame read-out of 7 frames per second (fps) or greater in order to operate in "Movie Mode", in which an image is constructed from aligned frames to correct for specimen movement and holder drift. - Physical pixel size should be ~14 µm allowing the camera to operate at magnifications conducive to high-resolution single particle image acquisition (~100 kx) and not be susceptible to possible microscope distortions as in the case of cameras with smaller pixel size that are forced to operate at lower magnifications. - Camera performance at 300 kV and a typical dose rate of 10 - 20 e-/pixel/second where Nyquist is the outermost (highest resolution) spatial frequency sampled in the Fourier transform of the image: Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE) at 0.5 Nyquist ≥ 0.4. - A DQE measurement is to be made after installation in the field to show that the measured curve meets or surpasses the DQE curve in the vendor's literature. - Using a sample of thin (50-100 Å) carbon film, Thon rings of significant intensity are to extend to at least 3.3 Å (and in all directions) in Fourier transforms of micrographs taken under typical cryo-electron microscopy conditions (at a magnification corresponding to a 0.5-1 Å pixel size, a stable beam current of ~30-40 e-/Å2 per second, with a half second exposure - for a total micrograph dose of ~15-20 e-/Å2, and a defocus of about 1µm). - Proactive (as opposed to reactive) protection must exist to avoid damaging the sensor by accidental exposure to an intense electron beam. The camera must retract into its sealed housing anytime detrimental conditions exist. - Sensor must be of a radiation-hardened design such that the camera performance criterion of DQE ≥ 0.4 (measured at 0.5 Nyquist for 300 kV electrons) is maintained for a total cumulative sensor dose of at least 500 million electrons/pixel. The system must monitor performance and register an alert if the DQE drops below the 0.4 specification. - The camera must be accessible (embedded) in the Tecnai User Interface for low dose data acquisition with automatic beam blanking for the acquisition of high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy images of frozen, hydrated biological specimens. - Software shall be provided for camera control and image acquisition. The camera/software must be compatible with a proven high-throughput automated "single particle" data collection package (e.g. EPU), with the following main features: ability to acquire any store and overview of the entire cryo-EM grid, automatic identification and selection of usable ice holes in the cryo-EM grid, template creation with the acquisition of multiple micrographs in a single ice hole, and graphical display of the acquisition scheme. - The camera and associated software must also be compatible with third party acquisition software such as SerialEM (D.N. Mastronarde, 2005. J. Struct. Biol. 152:36-51) and all modes of camera operation must be accessible to third party software. - The system shall include a secondary, 2k x 2k or larger, CCD camera capable of ≥30 frames per second for routine work such as searching and focusing. - Air, water, and electronic interface hardware for connecting the pneumatic insertion and extraction of the detector, water-cooling of electronics, and electronic and optical interfacing must be standard and included in the price of the camera. - Installation and on-site training of at least 3 days shall be provided by specialist(s) specifically qualified in the use of the camera and associated software. - Warranty. The contractor warrants the instrument and all associated hardware, software, accessories and components for a period of at least two years. During this period, any and all upgrades to these items will be provided and installed free of charge. C. Inspection and Acceptance Requirements: • Upon arrival of equipment to destination, the package must be undamaged. • In the installation of the equipment, all parts must be functional and running properly. D. Anticipated Period of Performance 3-4 Months upon Receipt of Contract Award E. Capability Statement/Information Sought Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. The following information shall be included in the capability statement: 1. A general overview of the respondents' opinions about the difficulty and /or feasibility of the potential requirement, and any information regarding innovative ideas or concepts. 2. Information in sufficient details of the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. 3. The respondents' DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc) pursuant to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, small business size standard is 500 Employees. 4. Any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the requirements of the potential acquisition. 5. The capability statement shall not exceed 10 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, in either Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), with 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper size, and 1 inch top, bottom, left and right margins. 6. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern's name and address). Responses will be reviewed only by NIH personnel and will be held in a confidential manner. CLOSING STATEMENT: The capability statement should be submitted electronically (via email) to Iris Merscher, Contract Specialist, at iris.merscher@nih.gov, on July 17,2014, 8:00 A.M., EASTERN TIME and must reference synopsis number HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-(AR)-SBSS-2014-166-IM. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. This Sources Sought Notice (SS) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NHLBI does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this notice, the NHLBI may issue a Request for Quote (RFQ). THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NHLBI shall arise as a result of a response to this notice or the NHLBI's use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. "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 pre-solicitation 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)."
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