6640--Anatomic Pathology Instruments

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY: This announcement seeks information from the industry, which will be used for preliminary planning purposes for procurement. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this sources sought notice. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. THIS IS STRICTLY MARKET RESEARCH.

Department of Veteran Affairs Boston Healthcare requires the following brand name or equal anatomic pathology instruments in accordance with the salient characteristics listed below:

General Requirements:

Operational and Technical Features:

Testing instrumentation must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Hardware Features: A printer(s) that has the capability of printing a patient report with patient demographic information that includes minimally the patient s name and accession or unique identifier number *UID). If the printer(s) will not be provided, the instruments must have the capability of attaching a local printer and a list of compatible printers will be provided.

Product Alerts: Product Notifications, Technical Advisories, Recalls, Software Updates or any other important communications must be provided to both the NCL group and the VISN 1 POCs at each site within one business day of issuance. NCL and VISN 1 POCs are provided in section 2 of this document.

Specific Equipment Requirements:

Tissue Processor (salient characteristics derived from the Leica Histocore Pegasus):

Parallel processing of different protocols on the same instrument

Magnetic stirring of paraffin for optimal infiltration

Pre-installed validated protocols

Xylene-free options

Reagent management system for reduction of reagent consumption

Automatic recording of reagent type, lot number, and concentration

Onboard reagent capacity of at least 17 reagents

Walk away loading of additional paraffin blocks

400 cassette capacity

Autocut Microtome (salient characteristics derived from Leica Histocore Autocut Microtome)

Fully-Automated, Semi-Automated, and Manual modes

Adaptable corse wheel feed

Force balance system to ensure balanced object head for multiple block sizes

Antistatic waste

Specimen cooling to ensure optimal block temperature during multiple sectioning

Blade holder accommodates low and high profile blades

Electronic brake for user safety

Sectioning thickness 0.5-100 micrometers

Adjustable motorized sectioning speed

Availability of interchangeable parts with our existing microtomes. This reduces delay in patient testing should something need repair.

Cold Plate (salient characteristics derived from Leica HistoCore Arcadia Cold Plates)

Bench top 25in x 15.75in x 15in

Self-regulating operation temperature of -6°C

Thruput of 65 blocks per 30 mins

Metal working surface for less adhesion

Modular component of HistoCore histology instrumentation

Tissue Processor (salient characteristics derived from Sakura tissue-tek 6 AI)

Onboard reagent mixed solutions for advanced infiltration of fatty tissues

Reagent monitoring with 2 bulk reservoirs

Onboard fume control system

Automatic paraffin degassing

50 user defined programs

300 cassette capacity

Xylene-free processing options

Pathology Digital Imaging System (salient characteristics derived from SPOT Imaging Grossing Camera)

Pathstation in-hood imaging system

Hands free imaging with foot pedal control

PathSuite interface for gross and microscopic imaging

In image measurement and annotation

20 MP image capture

1080p HD video

8x Optical plus 4x digital zoom

Field of view adjustable from 34 x28 to 0.50 x0.38

Auto calibration

Auto Focus

One-click telepathology connection

The Government intends to provide preference for any domestic end product that meets the above salient characteristics.

The purpose of this sources sought is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of industry, who have the capability to provide a domestically produced brand name or equal product(s).

All interested firms must be registered in SAM (System for Award Management) to be eligible for the award of Government contracts. Interested parties responding to this Sources Sought request shall submit the following information at a minimum:

(1) Company name and address point of contact with phone number and SAM UEI.

(2) Documentation relating to performance capability, current point of contact, and phone number).

(3) Socio-economic status to identify the business class as a large business, SDVOSB, VOSB, small business, Woman Owned, etc.

(4) Place of manufacture

(5) Any other pertinent company documentation prior to submission of offers to a solicitation.

Any small business (SB) firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice must also provide proof of registration in the SBA DSBS prior to submitting offers to a solicitation.

52.211-6 Brand Name or Equal.

As prescribed in 11.107(a), insert the following provision:

Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999)

(a) If an item in this solicitation is identified as "brand name or equal," the purchase description reflects the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government s needs. The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that "equal" products must meet are specified in the solicitation.

(b) To be considered for award, offers of "equal" products, including "equal" products of the brand name manufacturer, must-

(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;

(2) Clearly identify the item by-

(i) Brand name, if any; and

(ii) Make or model number;

(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and

(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the solicitation requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.

(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate "equal" products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer.

(d) Unless the offeror clearly indicates in its offer that the product being offered is an "equal" product, the offeror shall provide the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

(End of provision)

This market research is for informational and planning purposes. This is not a solicitation and does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation. Please be advised that the government will not pay any costs for responses and information submitted. All submissions sent via kim.mccarthy@va.gov.

RESULTS INFORMATION: Respondents will not be notified of the results, and it is at the discretion of the Government to utilize results. Firms responding to this Sources Sought announcement, who fail to meet all requirements as stated above, and who fail to provide ALL the required information requested, will not be used to help the Government make the acquisition decision, which is the intent of this sources sought announcement.