The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is conducting market research to support the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) requirement for an Automated Microbiology Growth Curve Analysis System.

The FDA is seeking business sources, including total small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, 8(a) certified companies and other than small businesses. In addition, the FDA is seeking business sources to determine the availability and capability of small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product of a small business manufacturer or producer. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is - 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing; Small Business Size Standard of $500 Million. The following information is provided to assist the FDA in conducting Market Research to identify potential contractors for this effort:

The Contractor shall meet the following Specifications:

o Shall have 110 Volt

o Shall have External Temperature Range: -25C to
+50C

o Shall have Internal Temperature Range: +1C to
+60C with variation of set temperature NTE +/-0.1
degree C

o Shall have Liquid circulation heat exchange
capability for consistent temperature during
incubation

o Shall have 100-well plate capacity

o Shall have the ability to run two 100-well
plates simultaneously

o Shall have the must current software package
having the ability to observe growth curves on a
real-time basis

o Shall have extended microbial growth
determination (24-30 hours)

Place of Performance:
Irvine, CA 92612-2506

Responses to this sources sought shall unequivocally demonstrate that respondent is regularly engaged in the manufacture and/or sale of same or substantially similar items. Though the target audience is small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product of a small business manufacturer or producer all interested parties may respond. At a minimum, responses shall include the following:

•Business name and bio, DUNS number, business address, business website, business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, 8(a), SDB, WOSB, EDWOSB, LB), point of contact name, mailing address (if different from business address), phone number and email address; [Provide this same information again if responding to provide a product manufactured by another firm.]

•Three (3) years of past performance information for the manufacture and/or sale of same or substantially similar items to include date of sale, description (should also include drawings and photos), dollar value, client name, client address, client point of contact name, client point of contact mailing address (if different from that provided for client), client point of contact phone number, client point of contact email address, and name of the manufacturer (to include DUNS number and size status) if not the respondent;

•Descriptive literature, brochures, marketing material, etc. detailing the nature of the items the responding firm is regularly engaged in manufacturing and/or selling;

•If applicable, identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and SINs that are applicable to this requirement;

•If a large business, identify the subcontracting opportunities that would exist for small business concerns; and

•Though this is not a request for quote, informational pricing is encouraged.

The Government encourages any comments and/or suggestions from any interested party, regarding the specifications. While the Government will not respond directly to your comments and/or suggestions; we will consider them as we finalize the specifications in preparation for the forthcoming solicitation.

The Government is not responsible for locating or securing any information, not identified in the response.

Interested Parties must respond with capability statements which are due in person, by postal mail or email to the point of contact listed below on or before
March 29, 2013 by 13:00 hours (Central Time in Jefferson, Arkansas) at the Food and Drug Administration, OC/OA/OAGS, Attn: Yolanda Peer, 3900 NCTR Road, HFT-320, Jefferson, AR 72079-9502 or email [email protected]. Reference FDA-SOL-13-1116531.

Notice of Intent
Responses to this sources sought announcement will assist the Government in determining whether or not any future requirement similar to this one should be set aside for small business, made available to full and open competition or procure through sole-source acquisition procedures.

Disclaimer and Important Notes
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's 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 a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in FedBizOpps. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).