Automated Liquid Handling Systems

Introduction

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.

Project Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Vaccine Research Center (VRC), Vaccine Production Program (VPP) is seeking to acquire two (2) automated liquid handling systems.  The VRC/VPP mission is to create and develop potentially lifesaving vaccines for HIV, Ebola, Zike, Malaris, SAR-COV-2, Influenza, and other know pathogens and get these potentially lifesaving products into clinic for first-in-human clinical trials. These systems are needed to ensure the VRC/VPP’s Downstream Process Development (DPD) has a fleet of reliable automated liquid handlers that can integrate with analytical equipment pack and maintains smooth operation with replacement of end-of-life equipment.  These instruments also allow multiple members of the lab to process samples in a high-throughput manner to contribute to the VPP ability to support the VRC's efforts in vaccine and therapeutics development.

Specifically, NIAID, VRC, VPP is seeking two instruments capable of the following:

1. Early phase purification development microchromatography liquid handler with biolayer interferometry detection:

• In-line integration with biolayer interferometry instruments
  • Agreement with the manufacturer of the biolayer interferometry instruments to ship a loaner to the awardee to do the integration of the two pieces of equipment.
• In-line integration with Tecan Spark spectrophotometers.
• Compatible with library of Tecan liquid handling scripts and Tecan Fluent Control.
• Compatible with Atoll RoboColumn pressurized microchromatography columns.
• Minimum of 8 channel simultaneous pipetting with disposable and fixed tips.
• Capacity of up to 1 mL per disposable pipetting channel, up to 0.5 mL fixed.
• Disposable pipet precision of 5 µL with ≤ 5% CV, fixed pipet precision of 20 µL with ≤ 5% CV.
• Programmable gripper capable of eccentric and concentric microplate and tool manipulation.
• Capacity for at least 20 SBS/SLAS footprint microplates.
• In-line integration with centrifuge capable of >6000 rcf.
• Capable of mounting Tecan EVO and Tecan Fluent deck carriers.
• Capable of future expansion to include thermostatting for at least two microplates or programmable thermocycler for single microplate.
• Facility Requirements:
  • Weight: 800 lbs. or less (full loaded)
  • Space Clearance around instrument
    • Distance to object in rear of the instrument: 4-6 inches
    • Outreach of the front safety panel: Maximum of 22 inches
    • Outreach of the short (open) front safety panel: Maximum of 16 inches
    • Distance to object in front of the instrument: Between 38-42 inches
  • Footprint of instrument
    • Footprint Depth: maximum of 32 inches
    • Overall Depth: 38 inches
    • Overall Length: 85 inches

2. Purification screening and upstream process development microchromatography liquid handler:

• In-line integration with Tecan Spark spectrophotometers.
• Compatible with library of Tecan liquid handling scripts and Tecan fluent control.
• Compatible with Atoll RoboColumn pressurized microchromatography columns.
• Minimum 8 channel simultaneous pipetting with disposable and fixed tips.
• Capacity of up to 1 mL per disposable pipetting channel and up to 0.5 mL fixed.
• Disposable pipet precision of 5 µL with ≤ 5% CV, fixed pipet precision of 20 µL with ≤ 5% CV.
• Programmable gripper capable of eccentric and concentric microplate and tool manipulation.
• Capacity for at least 20 SBS/SLAS footprint microplates.
• In-line integration with centrifuge capable of >6000 rcf.
• Capable of mounting Tecan EVO and Tecan Fluent deck carriers.
• Capable of future expansion to include thermostatting for at least two microplates or programmable thermocycler for single microplate.
• Facility Requirements:
  • Weight: 800 lbs. or less (full loaded)
  • Space Clearance around instrument
    • Distance to object in rear of the instrument: 4-6 inches
    • Outreach of the front safety panel: Maximum of 22 inches
    • Outreach of the short (open) front safety panel: Maximum of 16 inches
    • Distance to object in front of the instrument: Between 38-42 inches
  • Footprint of instrument
    • Footprint Depth: maximum of 32 inches
    • Overall Depth: 38 inches
    • Overall Length: 65 inches

Anticipated Period of Performance

It is anticipated that an award will be made on or around September 20, 2024.  Estimated lead time for delivery of instruments is 60-120 days upon Vendor’s receipt of the purchase order.

Capability Statement/Information Sought

If your organization has the potential capacity to meet the minimum requirements and performance capabilities listed above, please provide the following information:

1. Organization name, address, point of contact, email address, website address, telephone number, UEI number.
2. Company location(s) and number of years company has been in business.
3. Type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, Other than Small, etc.)  pursuant to the applicable NAICS code.
4. Type of ownership for the organization.
5. Identification of any Best-In-Class contract vehicles including Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) (e.g., GSA schedule) they may possess or are aware of that would support this possible requirement. If your organization does not provide the products/services under a GWAC, please identify availability as OPEN MARKET ONLY.
6. Tailored capability statement addressing the capability of the automated liquid handling systems to meet NIAID’s minimum requirements. Capability document shall be no more than six pages.
7. Place of manufacture for the automated liquid handling systems and components.
8. Evidence that the organization is an authorized reseller or manufacturer of the instrument. Only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) products are acceptable.  
9. Please provide information on the sustainability of the equipment and any associate parts.  Are any parts of the system energy efficient consistent with ENERGY STAR certified or FEMP-designated products?  Furthermore, are there any sustainability practices used in manufacturing the instrument system such as use of recovered materials, biobased products, or alternatives to ozone-depleting substances?

Submission Instructions

Interested businesses who consider themselves qualified to provide the above specification for the Automated Liquid Handling Systems, are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by August 22, 2024, at 3:00 PM EST. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice shall be emailed to Daveta H. Brown at daveta.brown@nih.gov.

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).