6650--Digital Microscope Scanners

This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government at this time. This notice is intended strictly for market research. The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to determine interest and capability of potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the Department of Veterans Affairs intends on issuing shortly. The Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Drive, SLC, UT 84148 needs a total of 2 Digital Microscopes and Scanners to allow for transfer of the information from physical histopathology slides to high resolution files that are easily accessible and sharable among transplant multi-disciplinary team members. Salient Characteristics for the Digital microscopes: The reliability of the clinical Scanner should meet the following: Numerical aperture: at least 0.4- 0.75 Microscope Resolution: at least 0.25 micrometer/pix - 0.50 micrometer/pix Depth of field: at least 1 micrometer -5 micrometers Image sensor: 12Mpx Scanners will be portable and include carrying case for easy transport Scanners interface will be fully web-based and can operate on any device with internet connection and web browser. No apps or extra software will be needed Scanners will pair with any device with internet connection (computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone) and will not require a dedicated computer or device Capable scan time of a 15x15mm sample is under 60 seconds Images can immediately be exported in JPG, SVS and TIFF formats and shared via email, uploaded to cloud services, or exported to an external USB drive Weight not to exceed 10 pounds Not to exceed 8 x 8 x 8 inches (WxHxD) for corner desk storage ability Microscope scanners will digitize slides into sharable images The scanner will not identify, use, or store any patient identifiers on this system at any time. The anticipated Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334516 is 1,000 employees. Responses Requested: The following questions must be answered in response to this Sources Sought. Answers that are not provided shall be considered non-responsive to the Sources Sought: a. Where are the requested items/equipment manufactured? These items must be compliant with the Buy American Act and Trade Agreement Act. Vendor must attach documentation of this information to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice b. Are the requested items/equipment manufactured by a small or large business? Is the potential vendor in compliance with the Non-Manufacturer Rule (NMR)? Vendor must attach documentation of this to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice c. Is the Vendor an authorized distributor with access to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts which may be required in performance of this requirement? The VA does not accept grey market items and therefore the Vendor must attach evidence of this access (Authorized Distributor letter) to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice. d. Name of potential Contractor that possess the capability to fulfill this requirement. Contractors shall also provide the following: Vendor Name: ______________________________________________ Point of contact name: ______________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ Telephone number: _________________________________________ Email address: _____________________________________________ Company's business size: _____________________________________________ UEI: _________________________________________________ e. Is your company considered a small business concern, SB, SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, or 8A concern, with the requisite 334516 NAICS code? f. If this procurement can be fulfilled by use of an existing, list the contract number. _______________________________________________________________ [ ] yes [ ] no If a small business manufacturer (for the NAICS code and size standard), agrees that in the performance of any resulting contract, the concern will comply with the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR §125.6. [ ] yes [ ] no If a small business nonmanufacturer {500 employees as stated in FAR 52.212-1(a)}, agrees to furnish in the performance of any resulting contract, the product(s) of a small business manufacturer (for the NAICS code and size standard) or producer. For size determination purposes, there can be only one manufacturer of the end product(s) being acquired. [ ] yes [ ] no - Will furnish the end product(s) manufactured or produced in the United States or its outlying areas. __________________________ Note: Do not include Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in responses. In addition to providing the information requested above, responding companies are encouraged to include any relevant information (specifications, cut sheets, brochures, capability statement, past experience etc.) to confirm the company s ability to meet the requirements outlined in this request. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract or agreement. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued.