Notice of Intent to Sole Source for the purchase of 3D Primary Tissue Cultures

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to award a sole source firm-fixed-price contract under FAR Part 13.5 procedures to MatTek Corporation for the procurement of the 3D tissue matrixes/human airway models. MatTek is the only commercial provider of ready-to-use 3D tissue matrixes of the human airway. Service/Product Description The purpose of this requirement is to obtain the following items on a 40-day delivery cycle:

1. Provide twelve (12) plates of qualified, ready-to-use primary human airway epithelial tissue matrixes across four (4) deliveries.

2. Provide twenty-four (24) 250mL bottles of 3 in a year.

3. Provide twenty-four (24) qualified hangtop 12-well plates in a year. Performance Requirements Multiple single donor/cadaver airway tissue harvests so that permissivity to seasonal and zoonotic influenza can be established with a specific donor. Ability to deliver twelve 24-well microtissue inserts (288 inserts) in a “ready-to-use” format of airway epithelium lung tissue.

Ready-to-use means that the cells have already been thawed, seeded, latticed into the correct three-dimensional airway structure, and fully differentiated with beating cilia at the air-liquid-interface (ALI) and functional goblet cells producing mucin on the apical surface. Ability to deliver up to six (6) 24-well plates of microtissues (144 inserts) in a single shipment request.

Delivered microtissues must pass sterility and trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) tests at a rate greater than 90% 24 hours after inserts are delivered. This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) and 10 U.S.C. 3406. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit quotes.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however,all quotations/responses received within 15 days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Any quotation/response should be emailed to contract specialist at zch2@cdc.gov by 22 July 2024.