BioStat B BioReactor Control Units with Installation (Brand Name or Equal)

This is a Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Plains Area Office is issuing this Sources Sought  Notice on behalf of the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) as a means of conducting market research to identify any potential sources capable of providing bioreactor dual control units that are compatible with existing B. Braun Boistat benchtop bioreactors. NCAUR maintains a common fermentation facility equipped with multiple B. Braun Biostat benchtop bioreactors. Scientists using these bioreactors have amassed large amounts of historical data using this style of control system, but more importantly, using a consistent style of fermentation vessel.  The system is also matched to larger bioreactors housed in the pilot facility next door for convenient scaling up for culture volumes.  Fermentation vessels at NCAUR are double-walled, water cooled vessels that were originally supplied by B. Braun. Sartorius recently purchased B. Braun and has been selected because it uniquely meets our needs:  (a) advanced control options required for conducting precision fermentations and for more sophisticated culturing schemes;  (b) an array of state of the art sensor options for monitoring growth and fermentation conditions;  (c) flexible control systems that allow for control of 2, 5, and 10 L bioreactor vessels, (c) guaranteed backward compatibility with our current bioreactor vessels, and (d) continuity with historical data set. Therefore, the intent would be to award a sole source contract to Sartorius, outside documented proof that there are viable competitive options available.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this Sources Sought notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ or IFB or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Government wide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Government wide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The anticipated NAICS code is 334516, with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

Comparable bioreactor control units shall be capable of meeting the following minimum specifications:

1. Must be compatible with our current Biostat benchtop bioreactor vessels including stirring mechanisms and water-based temperature control.
2. Must be configurable in a similar way to existing larger Biostat stirred tank bioreactors for seamless scale-up from laboratory scale to large scale (100L working volume).
3. Capable of controlling up to two vessels completely independent of each other.  Equipped with screen to display culture conditions.
4. System can be configured for cultivation of bacteria, yeast, and fungi.
5. Gassing rates up to 2 vvm (volume of air per volume of culture per minute) with air, O2, or N2 connections to allow for controlled gas mixtures.
6. Compatibility with current jacketed water-based temperature control system for vessels
   1. Connections for double wall UniVessel Glass
   2. Needs to be able to connect to water chiller
   3. Needs 600 Watt recirculation pump to circulate water
7. Pressure regulator (1 bar g) for utility supplied cooling water inlet.
8. Automatic controlled system for controlling aeration based on dissolved oxygen sensor readings. 
9. Automatic controlled system for controlling pH by adding acid or base addition via peristaltic pump. Sensor for pH should be autoclavable and measure 2 – 12 pH units.
10. Over foaming control system via conductive foam sensor and controller for adding anti-foam agent via peristaltic pump.
11. Direct coupling motor for mixing
    1. Maintenance free
    2. Integrated controller for agitation speed
    3. 200-Watt motor
12. Ability to monitor turbidity and automated control of bioreactor conditions and feeds in response to turbidity measurements and with a range of 0 - 6.00 Absorbance Units.
13. Four independently controlled peristaltic feed pumps that allow for continuous and fed-batch culture schemes.

 In response to this Sources Sought Notice, please provide the following:

1. Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, SAM UEI Number, cage code, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code (Required).
2. Tailored capability statement addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims that your company’s products meet the requirements described above, along with delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, and country of origin. (Required).
3. Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition and identify alternatives or solution solutions. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion (Not Required).
4. Any other information considered relevant to this requirement (Not Required).
5. The government requests that no proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in the response.

Any vendor responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine their 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, a combined synopsis/solicitation may be published on sam.gov depending on the responses received.

All responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be received by the notice’s POC by the deadline to be considered. Responses may not be returned. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Inquiry. Do not submit pricing information in response to this notice.