The Department of Veterans Affairs, Program Contracting Activity Central, intends to award on a sole source basis with Leica Microsystems Inc. 1700 Leider Ln. Buffalo Grove, IL. 60089-6622, to provide Leica DMi8 Inverted Fluorescent TC microscope components. The resultant contract will be a firm fixed price contract. The NAICS Code that applies to this procurement is 333314. The small business size standard is 500 employees. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, solicitations, or request for offers. No solicitation package is available. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(5), Authorized or Required by Statute, as implemented by FAR 6.302-5. For this action, 38 U.S.C. 8127(c), known as the Veterans First Contracting Program, provides the authority to directly contract with a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business or a Veteran-Owned Small Business. A determination not to compete is solely within the discretion of the Government. Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, and other business concerns believing they can provide these services must provide written notification with support evidence in sufficient detail to demonstrate the respondent's ability to provide the required supplies. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition is advantageous to the Government. Please see salient characteristics listed below. Responses must be received no later than 10:00 am (EST) on September 6, 2017.  No telephone inquiries will be accepted. All responses must be emailed to
[email protected]. Salient Characteristics: DMi8 Basic Fluorescent Tissue Culture Microscope. The unit must have the following: Leica instrumentation with standard LAS (X) graphical user interface is required. LAS X Core Workstation is required 5 Megapixel Color Fluorescence Cooled Camera with software integration kit LED based Fluorescence Illuminator System must come with the following objectives: Obj. N PLAN 5x/0.12 PH0, Obj. HC PL FLUOTAR 10x/0.32 PH1, Obj. HC PL FL L 20x/0.40 CORR PH1, Obj. HCX PL FL L 40x/0.60 CORR PH2 with CMount HC 0.70x. System must have a fixed stage and object guide. System must have LED filter cubes for DAPI, FITC and Rhodamine with options to purchase and install future cubes. The instrument turret must be compatible with fluorescence light paths and applications and have at least 6 positions and be manually and or computer-positionable. The unit base should have additional ports to allow for the future customization of the unit for expanded functionality.