Hamilton Microlab Prep Instrument

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to award a sole source contract to Hamilton Company 4970 ENERGY WAY RENO, NV 89502-4123 This sole source award will be for a Hamilton Microlab Prep system to support next generation sequencing (NGS) work for viral diseases.

The Hamilton Microlab Prep system is necessary to support next-generation sequencing (NGS) work for viral disease genomic surveillance in the Division of Viral Diseases sequencing core laboratory, allowing the team to meet program needs for assay standardization and quality control for NGS preparation. CDC requires redundancy with its laboratory equipment in order to avoid delays if one piece of equipment goes down.

Sequencing methods/tests have to be programmed and validated on each automated liquid handler used in a given lab. The software and/or programming language used to create these methods is very different depending on the instrument manufacturer and model.

Having multiple identical instruments (i.e., same instrument model and manufacturer) is important to avoid substantial delays during the initial programming, in that users can create the program and easily transfer it your identical redundant instruments (without personnel having to learn a new software or programming language).

It also allows users to easily validate multiple instruments for a sequencing method at the same time, so if in the future one instrument goes down (i.e., needs to be repaired), an identical backup instrument is already validated (and users don’t need to take time to learn how to program a new instrument and perform a new validation).

Since the Viral Hepatitis team already has a Hamilton MicroLab Prep instrument that they are sharing with the Division, this provides the necessary redundancy/standardization that will help us avoid costly delays in developing and maintain sequencing tests. 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)(1). Hamilton Company is the only source capable of fulfilling this requirement.

Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all quotations / responses received within fifteen (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 response should be emailed to contract specialist at ttu3@cdc.gov. Questions or responses will not be accepted by phone.