Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Puget Sound Health Care System (663/90C), 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108

66 -- LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS SOL 663-79-00 DUE 062300 POC Laura J. Johnson, Contracting Officer (206) 764-2176 The VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98101, intends to negotiate a sole-source procurement with Bio-Rad Laboratories, 2000 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, CA 94547 for a Chef Mapper XA Chiller System, including GEL DOC 2000 PCI System, Mitsubishi P90W Thermal Printer and Finger Printing Plus Software. The Chef Mapper System is a pulsed field gel electrophoresis system which is used for molecular fingerprinting or strain typing. Traditional phenotyping methods have their limitations which include the inability to differentiate isolates that do not have unusual resistance patterns in interpretations such as susceptible, intermediate, or resistance. Furthermore, susceptibility to multiple antibiotics may change due to genetic mutations or the loss of a plasmid with several resistance genes. This procurement is under the authority of FAR 6.302. All proposals received within ten (10) days of the date of this notice will be considered by the Government. A determination 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. Interested parties may submit an offer for name brand or equal item. If offering an equal item, please submit literature with your request to this office by close of business 6/23/00. The SIC Code for this Synopsis is 5047. All requests must be in writing and may be faxed to Attn: Laura Johnson (206) 764-2565. Posted 06/13/00 (W-SN464214). (0165)

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