THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY; AND ALSO IS A PRESOLICITAION: COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITAION.  Under the authority of FAR 13.106, the USDA ARS intends to award, on a sole source basis, a Firm Fixed Purchase Order (PO) to MESO SCALE DISCOVERY (MESO or MSD), LLC, 1601 Research Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850-3126. This order will attain additional Reagents: MESO Scale Discovery Assays & Detection Antibodies in support of the ongoing research at USDA ARS, Western Health Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC), 430 West Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA.

The Firm Fixed PO will include the following:

1. MESO SCALE DISCOVERY ASSAYS & DETECTION ANTIBODIES (MSD HUMAN ASSAY KITS)

* INCLUDES:
 K151AOH-1 V-PLEX Custom Human Cytokine (1 plate), Chemokine Panel
 K151AOH-2 V-PLEX Custom Human Cytokine (5 plate), Chemokine Panel I
 K151AOH-1 V-PLEX Custom Human Cytokine (1 plate), Proinflammatory Panel I)
 K151AOH-1 V-PLEX Custom Human Cytokine (1 plate), Proinflammatory Panel 1
 K15067L-2 U-Plex; 5 plate; IFNg, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17a
 K15067L-2 U-Plex; 5 plate; IL-1b, IL-6, IL-10, TNFa

USDA ARS, WHRNC requires additional reagents - specific assay kits (Human Cytokine panel, Human Chemokine panel) for the continuity of their ongoing Phenotyping Study. Currently, WHNRC owns an MSD instrument for analysis of human serum (and other) samples for markers of inflammation and immune activation; in which, this instrument & technology allow analysis of up to ten different markers (e.g., cytokines) in one sample at the same time. They have been using this instrument for measuring serum cytokines, chemokines and other inflammation markers in several ongoing studies at the WHNRC, and now it is imperative that they re-order these same assay kits from MSD.

For the purpose of studying immune responses as part of the WHNRC Human Phenotyping study (four years study), the Location Lab has worked with MESO technical representatives to design & implement antibody panels with MSD reagents, in order to maintain consistent means of data analysis. Since MSD instrument and reagents are used by laboratories around the world for investigation of immune function, it is critical that same instrumentation and reagents are used over the 4- year period of WHRNC's study and that they are accepted by the greater immunology community so their research data can be interpreted widely.

MESO is the sole manufacturer & is an industry leader in Multiplex array technology, both instrumentation and reagents. Their reagents/products are sold solely by MESO, a division of Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC of Rockville, MD.

Along with FAR Part 12 & FAR Subpart 13.106 procedures, pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETTIVE QUOTES; a determination, by the Government, not to compete this proposed order/contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties who believe they possess the capability to satisfy this requirement should submit documentation that clearly demonstrates their capability. The Government will consider all responses received by 10:30AM PST, JULY 31, 2019. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to the Primary Point of Contact: [email protected].

THE AWARD DATE WILL BE ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 1, 2019, and again, this Notice of Intent is not considered as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) nor is it a Request for Proposals (RFP). No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored.

Bid Protests Not Available