USDA, ARS, Athens Location Office intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, Qualicon Inc., to provide an automated BAX system for microbial screening. This system will be used to detect Salmonella and Listeria. Equipment requirements are: automated instrument for PCR and fluorescent detection with authorized thermal cycler/detector with at least 96 wells and contain verification plates for diagnostics. A computer workstation must come with the equipment and have configuration of at least Pentium II, a CPU of at least 350 MHz, 128 MB RAM, at least a 6 GB hard drive, CD read/writer and floppy drives, SVGA monitor, keyboards, mouse, an inkjet printer and cables. Equipment should also include heating and cooling blocks with inserts for both, capping/decapping tools, tube holders and pipettes. The system must have Windows NT operating system and BAX application software to run the equipment. Supplies, as a start up package for the system, must include pipette tips, pcr tube caps, powder-free nitrile gloves, user documentation, lysis tubes, extra fuses and regrowth media for salmonella. The system must have AOAC approval of detection of Salmonella and Listeria and must be fully compatible with other cooperating agencies (i.e. Food Safety Inspection Service FSIS) utilizing this particular instrument for organism detection. Training to be provided on site. Interested parties should submit written responses including prices and technical data sufficient to determine capability to meet the entire requirement and must be received in this office within 15 calendar days after publication of this notice. It should be noted that no contract will be awarded on the basis of offers received in response to this notice, but will be used to determine if a comparable source more advantageous to the Government is available. If no affirmative written responses are received, negotiations will be held with Qualicon Inc. without further notice. This acquisition is being conducted under the Federal Acquisition Streamling Act, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The anticipated award date is July 1, 2002.

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