Preventive Maintenance, Emergency Service, Support, and Coverage for a Government-Owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 Laser Spectral Cytometer with UV Laser and Mi...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Laboratory of Pathology (LP) intends to procure, on a sole source basis, preventive maintenance, emergency service, support, and coverage for a Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) from Cytek Biosciences Inc. 46107 Landing Parkway Fremont, CA 94538.The response close date of the notice for this requirement is in accordance with FAR 5.203(b). This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(2); and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 811219 and the business size standard is $22 million.1.0 BACKGROUNDThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer

Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch (ETIB) Flow Cytometry Facility provides essential optical biology services to the Branch and to other investigators in the NCI and NIH. The facility is required to maintain an up-to-date array of cell analysis instrumentation for its investigators who are continuing to fulfill the mission on reducing the burden of cancer through exploration, discover and translation. Therefore, ETIB requires preventive maintenance, emergency service, support, and coverage for a Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) including its UV laser, microplate sampler, and computer workstation. This equipment is used for complex analysis of a wide variety of cell types required by investigators used in basic science and clinical settings. This instrument receives heavy usage by both ETIB and outside CCR investigators accumulating to greater than 40 hours per week and therefore the required services described herein are essential for this mission-critical instrument.2.0 SCOPE  The Contractor shall provide all labor, material, and equipment to necessary to maintain and provide preventive maintenance, emergency service, support, and coverage for a Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) including its UV laser, microplate sampler, and computer workstation. All travel, labor and related charges shall be included. The Contractor shall provide a 24-hour (maximum) response time for technical support and 48-hour (maximum) response time for non-functional instruments.All equipment maintenance services shall be performed on-site in accordance with the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) most current standard commercial maintenance practices.  Lasers, detectors, electronics, and fluidic components shall be covered by this service contract. The Contractor shall provide software service in accordance with the manufacturer’s latest established service procedures, to include unlimited telephone access to technical support for use of program software and troubleshooting of the operating systems, at no additional cost to the Government.3.0 CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS AND PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS3.1 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE The Contractor shall perform two (2) planned preventive maintenance inspections during the period of performance on the Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) including its UV laser, microplate sampler, and computer workstation. Technically qualified OEM-trained personnel shall perform Service. The service shall consist of a thorough cleaning, calibration, adjusting, inspection, and testing of all equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s latest established service procedures. All equipment shall be operationally tested through at least one (1) complete operating cycle at the end of the preventive maintenance inspection to assure optimum and efficient performance.3.2 EMERGENCY SERVICEUnlimited on-site, emergency repair service visit shall be provided during the period of performance of this Purchase Order at no additional cost to the Government. Emergency service shall be provided during standard business hours (defined as 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays found at http://www.opm.gov/operating_status_schedules) and extended hours (5:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. EST, Monday through Friday) for any issue which cannot be resolved remotely. Upon receipt of notice during standard business hours that any part of the equipment is malfunctioning the Contractor shall respond within one (1) hour and dispatch a qualified factory-trained service representative within forty-eight (48) hours days to inspect the malfunctioning equipment and perform all repairs and adjustments to restore the said equipment to normal operating condition. Emergency service calls shall not replace the necessity for planned preventative maintenance. All labor and travel shall be included.            3.3 REPLACEMENT PARTS The Contractor shall furnish all required replacement parts at no additional cost to the Government, except for consumables. Parts shall be new to original equipment specifications. Rapid access to OEM parts for maintenance and repair is essential. If the parts are in stock, the Government expects delivery to be the next day. This instrument receives heavy usage and is relied upon for analysis of human patient samples, which can arrive at any time and must be analyzed promptly. Rapid OEM part accessibility requires a company with field service engineers that are local to the Bethesda, MD area and have access to certified OEM parts.3.4 SOFTWARE UPDATES / SUPPORT SERVICES The Contractor shall provide software service and required updates in accordance with the manufacturer’s latest established service procedures. Additional support services shall include unlimited toll-free telephone, email, and online submission to OEM-trained technical support personnel for use of program software and troubleshooting of the operating systems, at no additional cost to the Government. The Contractor shall receive advance approval for the installation of all software updates and revisions from the Government. Defective firmware and software shall be replaced to the OEM specifications at no additional cost to the Government.The Contractor shall provide unlimited technical remote support for trouble-shooting the instruments.3.5 SERVICE EXCLUSIONSThe Contractor shall not be responsible for any repairs necessitated by abuse, neglect, vandalism, Acts of God, fire, or water. These repairs shall be the subject of a separate procurement and shall not be performed under this Purchase Order.                                                                                                     3.6 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONSTechnically qualified, OEM-trained service technicians shall perform all required services to the Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) including its UV laser, microplate sampler, and computer workstation. The technicians shall be specifically trained on the Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer and maintain full access to official instrument documentation and software resources. Technicians trained on other cytometer systems but not on the Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer system and are not acceptable.4.0 TYPE OF ORDERThis is a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order for severable services. Funds are only available for use for the line item to which they are obligated. Unused funds from one period (line item) may not roll over for use in other periods.5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCEThe period of performance shall be for twelve (12) months plus four (4) twelve-month option periods as follows:Base Period:                01/01/2022 – 12/31/2023Option Period 1:           01/01/2023 – 12/31/2024Option Period 2:           01/01/2024 – 12/31/2025Option Period 3:           01/01/2025 – 12/31/2026Option Period 4:           01/01/2026 – 12/31/20276.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCEOnsite services shall be performed at the following location:                                         NIH, NCIETIB Flow Cytometry FacilityBuilding10 Room 3-3297 East10 Center DriveBethesda, MD  208927.0 UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONTRACTORThe Government-owned Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer (S/N U0260) including its UV laser, microplate sampler, and computer workstation must be calibrated accurately and maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications by authorized Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) service engineers. The Cytek Biosciences Aurora 5 laser spectral cytometer is a relatively new instrument with a complex laser configuration and supports a wide variety of cell types required by ETIB investigators. Of particular importance is the hybrid analog-digital data acquisition electronics, which is completely proprietary and is not accessible either in parts or firmware support to service personnel outside Cytek Biosciences. Any deviation from the design specifications during the required services will compromise the integrity of data for ongoing research studies. Additionally, any service performed, including non-OEM replacement parts, by any vendor other than Cytek Biosciences will prevent future upgrades to the equipment.To the knowledge of ETIB, Cytek Biosciences is the original manufacturer, distributor, and the sole provider of preventive maintenance services, emergency service, proprietary firmware maintenance/upgrades, genuine OEM parts, and OEM trained technical support for trouble shooting and diagnosing issues that arise during regular operation of the instrument. The required services are not authorized through any other entity.8.0 RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONSThis notice is not a request for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party, especially a small business, believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a proposal or quote for the Government to consider. The response and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in enough detail to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. All responses must be submitted via email to Adam Hernandez, Contracting Officer at adam.hernandez@nih.gov. Responses are due no later than 2:00 P.M. ET Monday, November 15, 2021 (11/15/2021). 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 determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. To receive an award, Contractors must be registered and have valid certification in the System for Award Management (SAM) through SAM.gov, and have Representations and Certifications filled out.Reference 75N91022Q00004 on all correspondence.