The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1) in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirement. The NAICS Code for this procurement is 423410. The size standard is 200 employees.

This purchase order is for the Nikon inverted fluorescent microscope. This will be used to identify the localization of Zika virus in infected cells and how the virus affects behavior and function of affected cells such as spermatocytes. Experiments that monitor Zika-infected cell movement under the microscope require the ability to maintain and the image in focus. The Ti2 is the only microscope capable of eliminating focus drift using both static and dynamic measures to enable faithful visualization o the nanoscopic and microscopic world during long time-lapse experiments. This equipment automatically corrects focus drift caused by temperature changes and mechanical vibrations; it also detect and track the position of a reference plane in real time to maintain focus.a

Nikon Inc. is the manufacturer of the Ti2 Microscope. The Ti2 microscope is the only known microscope capable of maintaining the cells of interest in focus throughout the entire experiment. The Ti2 works on an automated system that is capable of both counting and analyzing photographed cells for analysis in plaque reduction neutralization assays and greatly reduces time interpretation of results. No other known vendor or device has this capability.

No solicitation will be posted to FedBizOpps. We will only issue a solicitation to Nikon Inc. Nikon Inc. is the only source available to provide equipment that meets this requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for proposal. A determination to compete this procurement based on response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Interested parties who believe they possess the capability to satisfy this requirement should submit a capability statement demonstrating their ability to meet this requirement. All responses must be sent in writing to Mr. David Kelley via email to [email protected] using solicitation number 2017-Q-66335 in the subject line, no later than 08:00am Eastern Time, February 13, 2017.