The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, requires the purchase of an inverted research microscope configured for intravital live imaging. In order research continuity, Nikon equipment is required since the equipment must be compatible with the Q-Imaging Retiga camera, and with Nikon Elements imaging and deconvolution software, used in the initial parts of this project. Equipment also must have the ability to acquire data that is compatible with prior data acquired on this project using a Nikon microscope with 20x NA 0.95 objective. The key specialized performance requirements of the system are as follows: High numeric aperture (NA 0.95), long working distance, water-immersion 20x objective optimized for imaging in vivo through aqueous media, to allow image capture from within living intact biological organisms. Fluorescence illumination with separate narrow band-pass filters for excitation and emission, allowing the following types of fluorescent probes to be imaged: (i) fluorescent reporter proteins, including the nls-mCherry reporter used in our transgenic tau zebrafish, mitochondrial dsRed2, the TOM20-mOrange transgenic line we are developing in the project, GFP, mCerulean (ii) ratiometric redox reporter proteins, roGFP2-Orp1 and Grx1-roGFP2, that require both conventional (488-515nm) and long Stokes-shift (405-515nm) channels to detect reactive oxygen species production and glutathione oxidation in vivo (iii) fluorescence resonance energy transfer between CFP-YFP, used to image a biosensor protein, ATeam, that measures neuronal ATP levels in vivo Automated z-stage (x and y are manual) to allow repeated image acquisition from multiple planes forimaging dynamic responses in real time. Bright field illumination and 4X objective for sample mounting and field-finding Specific Requirements include: QTY PRODUCT # PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Nikon Eclipse Ti2-E Inverted Research Microscope 1 * MEA54000 TI2-E INVERTED MICROSCOPE MAIN BODY 1 * MEF55037 TI2-CTRE TI2-E CONTROLLER 1 * MXA22149 S-TI2-EXT EXTERNAL TRIGGER CABLE 1 97050 USB 2.0 A-B DEVICE CABLE 15' 1 79035 POWER CORD (LEAD FREE UL LISTED). 1 * MEB55830 TI2-T-BS S EYEPIECE TUBE BASE UNIT 1 MEB52340 TC-T-TS S BINOCULAR TUBE 2 MAK10110 CFI 10X EYEPIECE F.N. 22MM-NC 1 MEP53325 TI2-N-ND-I INTELL DIC SEXTUPLE NOSEPIECE 1 * MEE59920 TI2-D-PD DIASCOPIC ILLUMINATION PILLAR 1 * MEE55700 TI2-D-LHLED TRANSMITTED LED LAMP HOUSE 1 MEL51005 TC-C-TC CONDENSER TURRET 1 * MEL56200 TI-C-LWD LWD LENS UNIT F/SYS COND TURRET 1 * MEV51030 TI2-F-FLT-E MOTORIZED EPI FLUOR TURRET1 * MXA22147 S-TI2-DCL DAISY CABLE LONG 1 * MEE54405 TI2-P-FWB-E BARRIER FILTER WHEEL 1 * MXA22147 S-TI2-DCL DAISY CABLE LONG 1 * MEE54860 TI2-LA-BF FIXED MAIN BRANCH 1 * MEE54720 TI2-LA-FL EPI FLUORESCENCE MODULE 1 MEC51200 TC-S-SR RECTANGULAR MECHANICAL STAGE 1 MEC57100 TI2-S-HL LONG HANDLE 1 MEC55016 C-S-HU UNIVERSAL HOLDER Nikon CFI60 Objective Lenses 1 * MRH00041 CFI PLAN FLUOR 4X NA 0.13 WD 17.2MM 1 MRD77200 CFI APO LWD 20X WI NA 0.95 LAMBDA S Epifluorescence Light Source 1 77060023 SPECTRA X LT ENGINE CK DESCRPT F/FILTERS 1 77060021 LUMENCOR LIQUID LIGHT GUIDE; 3MM, 2M VIS 1 77074161 ET435/26M ET515/30M ET595/40M ET705/72M 1 77074158 EM ST ET475/20M ET540/21M ET632/60M 25MM 1 77074159 T395/470/550/640 POLYCHROIC MTED TI CUBE 1 77074156 CFP/YFP/MCHRY POLYCHROIC MTD TI CUBE This is a Sources Sought synopsis only. The purpose of this synopsis is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification (large business, small business, 8(a), SDVOSB, etc.), relative to NAICS code 333314. Responses to this synopsis will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. Based on responses to this synopsis, the Government may issue this RFQ as a Brand Name or Equal requirement in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.211-73 on eBuy or Fed Biz Ops. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals; however, any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement and who is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), authorized dealer, authorized distributor or authorized reseller of all the items listed above, may submit a capability statement to the contracting office than no later than Wednesday, August 21, 2019 4:00 PM EST. Interest/capability statements may be sent to Elaine DiBucci at
[email protected]. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.