SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Zeiss Crossbeam 550 Electron Microscope
- Notice Date
- 8/15/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 4211, MSC 9559, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-9559, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892-9559
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-17-715
- Archive Date
- 9/12/2017
- Point of Contact
- Jermaine Duncan, Phone: 3018277515
- E-Mail Address
-
jermaine.duncan@nih.gov
(jermaine.duncan@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE 1.Solicitation Number: HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-17-715 2.Title: Zeiss Crossbeam 550 Electron Microscope 3.Classification Code: 66 - Instruments and laboratory equipment 4.NAICS Code: 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing 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: Tissue and cell structure determined by electron microscopy has long been the standard for obtaining high-resolution data. However, reconstructing a 3D tissue volume with the traditional TEM and SEM systems is limited by the ability of these systems to image sequential data. The ability of the Zeiss Crossbeam 550 to collect sequential data from a sample overcomes this limitation and permits a delineation of structures and cellular phenomena not possible with more conventional electron microscopes. For example, the investigation of subcellular structures such as mitochondria, nerve synapses and intra-nuclear structures at nanometer resolution, which is currently not possible with the imaging equipment at the NIA IRP, will be enabled by the Crossbeam 550. In addition, the relatively high speed of acquisition of data, compared to other SEM systems, will facilitate 3D tomography of these structures in multiple samples. Purpose and Objectives: There is an acute need for nanometer resolution imaging systems to serve the research programs of NIA investigators. The Zeiss Crossbeam 550 electron microscope will enable NIA IRP investigators to image sub-cellular structures at a molecular resolution and speed that is unobtainable with other imaging systems currently employed at the NIA. The Zeiss Crossbeam 550 is the fastest SEM system available and thus will enable NIA IRP researchers to obtain high resolution 3D reconstructions of cellular structures and physiological phenomena such as mitochondrial networks, Neuromuscular junctions and organelle interfaces, a capability currently unavailable at the NIA IRP. Project requirements: Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, installation and set-up, and training not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the project requirements below. Generic Name of Product: Crossbeam 550
 FIB-SEM with patented GEMINI II electron optics and Correlative Microscopy unit Purchase Description: Brand name: One (1) Crossbeam 550 FIB-SEM with patented GEMINI II electron optics and Correlative Microscopy unit from Carl Zeiss Microscopy. Manufacturer: Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC, One Zeiss Drive, Thornwood, NY 10594. Salient characteristics- Essential Function. Purchase of the Crossbeam 550
 FIB-SEM with patented GEMINI II electron optics from Carl Zeiss Microscopy will meet an acute need for nanoscale-resolution imaging and 3D reconstructions of cellular structures and physiological phenomena such as mitochondrial networks, Neuromuscular junctions and organelle interfaces, a capability currently unavailable at the NIA IRP. Embedded ATLAS software, a unique capability, proprietary to Zeiss, controls focused ion beam very finely, both spatially and temporally, in real time, an essential and unique ability of the Crossbeam 550. This system is especially suited to the correlation of 3D images obtained with the Zeiss LSM 880 (with or without the Airyscan unit) with FIB-SEM data. The NIA IRP already has a Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan and thus the Crossbeam 550 will expand the imaging and analysis potential of an already existing system at the NIA IRP. (1) Superb electron optics: Ga-focused Ion beam (Ga-FIB) in Cappella column, and with patented Gemini 2 column, enabling Aperture and crossover free beam. Slider used to modify current and spot beam decal allows for low landing energy to permit higher resolution and faster acquisition. (2) Beam in column accelerator and deceleration enables finely controlled energies for imaging. Finely-tuned energy hitting sample also provides signal. For biological material, ability to control beam energy level and stability is critical, and to extract maximum meaningful signal from noise. (3) Embedded ATLAS software, a unique capability, proprietary to Zeiss, controls focused ion beam very finely, both spatially and temporally, in real time. This is an essential and unique ability of the Crossbeam 550. In contrast to all other SEM systems, where regions-of-interest (ROIs) need to be square (cube); that is not the case with the Crossbeam 550 anymore. ROI can be round (sphere), oblong or irregular in three dimensions. In addition, ATLAS can decode both the milling and imaging, which are tightly controlled, and allows for large (50k x 40k) fields of view (FOVs) without distortion. Direction of milling influences what remains to be collected as data. For example, 10 nm slices are measured and corrected on the fly (while imaging). ATLAS allows real time feedback and can overcome drift. Simultaneous control of both milling and imaging is very important for 3D reconstruction, as the system can correct sectioning and imaging in real time. (4) Unique aperture free e-beam, instead of the usual set number of apertures in other systems. This limits ion flux and allows discrete, nuanced steps in control of e-beam, very important for biological samples. In addition, the Energy Selective Backscatter (EsB) detector is used to filter low energy backscatter generated from no deeper than the slice thickness. (5) ATLAS has unique 3D data collection abilities specifically designed for tomography: Automated acquisition of Gigapixel 3D images with simultaneous high resolution milling and imaging. Accurate and constant slice thickness throughout the entire acquisition process, with outstanding z-resolution through homogenous slice thickness of <3nm. ATLAS outputs 
exact ROIs and keyframes in 3D with predictive drift correction and image stack alignment. Level of Effort: It is estimated that a Certified Carl Zeiss Consultant is needed for this requirement. Government Responsibilities: There are no Government Responsibilities Delivery and Deliverables: 30 days ARO Reporting Requirements: There are no reporting requirements. Anticipated Contract Type: A firm fixed price purchase order is anticipated. Period of Performance/Delivery Requirements: 30 days ARO Place of Performance: The place of performance shall be at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland 20892. The contractor is required to work on-site. Capability Statement: Contractors that believe that they possess the ability to fulfill the requirements as stated above should submit documentation on their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contract Specialist. Interested organizations must demonstrate and document in any response submitted, to this market survey extensive experience with and the ability to perform all of the specialized requirements elsewhere described. 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 fifteen (15) page limit. The 15-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. Interested organizations are required to identify their organization name, address, DUNS Number type of business (e.g. 8(a), HubZone, etc), applicable North American Industry Classification System Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government request that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. All capability statements sent in response to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted to Jermaine Duncan, Contract Specialist, via email at jermaine.duncan@nih.gov before the closing date and time of this announcement. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Note: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. No proprietary, classified, confidential or sensitive information should be included in your 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 review of the responses received, pre-solicitation and solicitation notices may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. The solicitation release date is pending. The Government anticipates negotiation of a firm fixed price purchase order. Contracting Office Address: 31 Center Drive Room 1B59 Bethesda, Maryland 20892 United States Place of Performance: Bethesda, Maryland 20892 United States Primary Point of Contact: Jermaine Duncan, Contract Specialist Jermaine.duncan@nih.gov Phone: 301-827-7515
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- Record
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