The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology (LCMB), plans to procure from Carl Zeiss Inc., One Zeiss Drive, Thornwood, NY 10594, the upgrading of an existing Zeiss LSM 510 Meta System with a 405 nm diode laster, photomultiplier channel 4, software modules and inverted Axovert 200 Microscope. The upgrade will be used for advanced confocal imaging studies, for example determining the composition and time dependent changes in protein complexes formed during the activation of receptors in live cells. This upgrade will allow NCI to observe the movement of individual proteins and intracellular organelles in stimulated cells. It will aid NCI in determining if alterations in these proteins and organelles can induce or inhibit transformation in model systems and whether they are associated with human neoplasms. The upgrade of the Zeiss LSM 510 Meta will enable more efficient performance of work that is dependent on observation of microscopic structures in live and fixed cells. The system shall: 1) be capable of photoexcitation of photo-activatable green fluorescent protein (PA-GFP) and excitation of cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and other blue fluorescent dyes such as Hoechst and Pacific Blue; 2) be capable of realtime simultaneous confocal fluorescence viewing and documentation at four wavelengths with motorized optical sectioning and image acquisition software; 3) Possess scripting software for experimental flexibility; 4) possess all the capabilities of the LSM 510 Meta for photobleaching, observation of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and confocal polychromatic detection; and 5) be capable of imaging living cells in flasks and chambers as well as adding cells and reagents to chambers mounted on the microscope. This system is commercial as defined in FAR Part 2, and this acquisition is being made in accordance with the test program using simplified procedures for certain commercial items as authorized in FAR 13.5. Carl Zeiss Inc. is the only organization known to the NCI researcher that can upgrade the current Zeiss system to a system that has all the aforementioned features that are required and believed to be unique. This is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party believes it can meet the above requirement and the noted features, it may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NCI research to determine if the party can perform this requirement. An original and one copy of the capability statements must be received in the contracting office by 1:00 p.m. EDT, on August 12, 2003. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed to (301) 402-4513 or emailed to [email protected] . It is the vendor’s responsibility to call (301) 402-4509 to insure questions have been received. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect call will be accepted. NAICS 334516

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