gentleMACS Octo Dissociator with Heaters

Background
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order to Miltenyi Biotec, Inc. for the gentleMACS Octo Dissociator with Heaters.

The Women's Malignancies Branch (WMB) focuses on aggressive types of breast cancer, including Triple Negative Breast Cancer and breast cancer brain metastasis, with the goal of developing more effective therapeutic strategies. The research aims to identify molecular pathways critical for cancer cell metastasis and understand inflammatory processes that regulate metastatic growth.

Work Details
The contract involves the purchase of the gentleMACS Octo Dissociator with Heaters, which is essential for ongoing experimental studies and core laboratory procedures.

This instrument enables the generation of viable single-cell suspensions from complex tissues, including brain tissue. Maintaining cell viability and integrity is necessary for downstream applications such as molecular profiling, functional assays, and biomarker analysis. Without this capability, key components of approved research experiments cannot be performed effectively or reproducibly. The system enhances the rigor of research and accelerates insights into the biology of breast cancer brain metastasis.

Period of Performance
Approximately ten (10) days after the date of this notice.

Place of Performance
National Institutes of Health laboratories.

Bidder Requirements
This notice is not a request for competitive quotes; however, small businesses (e.g., 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business) may submit a written capability statement demonstrating their ability to perform the requirement.

Incumbent Analysis (see Incumbents section for more detail)
This opportunity appears to have a confirmed incumbent, Miltenyi Biotec, based on prior NIH awards for the same instrument. The confirmed contract 75N95023P00305 (Miltenyi Biotec) was valued at $29,855 for a “GENTLEMACS OCTO DISSOCIATOR WITH HEATERS” during 06/08/23–07/23/23, and multiple closely related awards with the same awardee and item description were issued in 2023–2024 (including quantities of 1–2). The current requirement for the gentleMACS Octo Dissociator with Heaters aligns with these prior purchases and appears to continue ongoing laboratory needs for preparing viable single-cell suspensions.