Annual Service and Maintenance for Aperio Versa SN500058

Description: 

This is a Sources Sought notice, that in addition, will be accepting responses from Small Businesses. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition; and (4) availability of domestic sources manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of a satisfactory quality.

For equipment/supply requirements, small business responses must include: (1) the place of manufacturing (i.e. address if supply/equipment is a domestic end product and include country of manufacture), as well as (2) the size status of the manufacturer under the applicable NAICS code (i.e. address Non-Manufacturer Rule).

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

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: 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge. The mission of the NIH also includes enhancing health, lengthening life, reducing illness and disability, conducting, supporting and making medical discoveries that improves and saves people’s health and lives.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is a part of the NIH, with a mission to catalyze the generation of innovative methods and technologies that will enhance the development, testing, and implementation of diagnostics and therapeutics across a wide range of human diseases and conditions.

The Tissue Bioprinting Lab (TBPL) is a state-of-the-art research facility within the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation dedicated to addressing scientific and technological challenges. Specifically, the Tissue Bioprinting Lab (TBPL) aims to develop three- dimensional tissue models for more physiological relevant screening of treatments for disease conditions.

The mission of The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is to apply the tools of small molecule screening and discovery to the development of chemical probe research tools, for use in the study of protein and cell functions, and biological processes relevant to physiology and disease. This request will enable NCATS to have reliable usage of technology previously invested on. Aperio Versa SN 500058 is a comprehensive digital pathology scanner to visualize engineered tissues.  It can result in high quality of images on demand for tissue-based screening, disease model and assay development. This contract provides preventative maintenance and unlimited repair visits per year including parts.