NIAID COMET™ LUNAPHORE ACD ENABLES MULTIPLEX SEQUENTIAL IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE (MULTIPLEX SEQIF™)-BRAND NAME

Sources Sought (SS)

Title: COMET™ Lunaphore ACD enables multiplex sequential immunofluorescence (multiplex seqIF™)-brand name
ID: 75P00125Q00069-SB
Post Date: September 17, 2025
Response Date: September 19, 2025, Amended to October 1, 2025
Classification Code: 6640 – Laboratory Equipment and Supplies
NAICS: 325413 In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing 

Introduction
This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability (foreign and domestic end products), capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. 

Project Summary
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Tissue Analysis Core (TAC)  contributes to Vaccine Research Center (VRC) mission by characterizing pathogen and immune signatures at tissue level and in cellular in vitro system to better understand natural infection and strategies of intervention and vaccines To implement current imaging workflow, NIAID is seeking a spatial immunohistochemistry technology to reveal complex interactions at tissue level for infections, vaccines, and tumor studies bypassing the limitation of the number of fluorophores with high pixel resolution using only xy resolution.

Specifically, NIAID, TAC is seeking a COMET™ Lunaphore ACD enables multiplex sequential immunofluorescence (multiplex seqIF™).

The minimum technical requirements of the COMET™ Lunaphore (ACD) include:
•    Multiplex sequential immunofluorescence (multiplex seqIF™) 
•    Performs 40-plex protocols per automated run
•    Compatible with FFPE and Frozen tissue slides
•    Compatible with all positive charged slides (standard histology) 
•    Technology unlocked for the number of plex.
•    preserves sample morphology and epitope integrity by gently and efficiently removing antibodies and residues from the sample. This enables samples to be reused downstream for other applications like H&E, IHC, spatial transcriptomics or sequencing
•    Standard-label free antibodies non-conjugated and without barcoding 
•    Validated Antibody Panel for Tumor Markers
•    Pressurized microfluidic system to reduce incubations and overall protocol times 
•    Microfluidic FFeX™ technology supports automated staining.
•    The staining automation relies on 20 reservoirs for primary antibodies (20 x 2 mL microtubes) ; 4 large volume reservoirs for        secondary antibodies and counterstaining (4 x 50 mL conical tubes); 7 bottles for buffers (1 x 2 L, 6 x 250 mL) 2 waste bottles (2 x 2 L)
•    Each slide requires roughly 350 microliter of mix antibody
•    Each run has a slide capacity of four
•    capacity to process 20 slides per week at 20-plex protein, or 12 slides per week at 4-plex RNA and 28-plex protein, from sample        preparation to registered image 
•    Automated system integrating staining, image acquisition, image preprocessing
•    Imaging areas is 12.5 mm x 12.5 mm 
•    Staining area: 21 mm x 21 mm 
•    Integrated microscope has a Magnification 20X with a numerical aperture of 0.7 
•    Technical resolution is 0.28 μm / pixel 
•    Cycling fluorescence occurs through three channels TRITC, Cy5, DAPI
•    Instrument operates with COMET™ Control Software 
•    Panel design is facilitated by online application generating ready-to-use protocols 
•    QC of the experiment is performed with a Viewer software.  
•    Image Analysis is optimal with the Horizon Software. 
•    Each image has a common output file format OME.TIFF supported by many image analysis tools
•    The system weights approximately 105 kg; 
•    Dimensions are: 110.5 (W) x 63.5 (D) x 53.5 (H) cm When the left door is open, the height is 75 cm
•    The operating Temperature is 18–25°C (66–77°F) which is typical of an indoor laboratory environment. The instrument should not be posed close to window for direct sunlight exposure. Extreme temperature conditions can affect the sensitive reagents used with the instrument
•    Humidity is in the range of 20–60% Relative Humidity (non-condensing). 
•    Electrical requirements are 100–240 VA+10% grounded, 50–60Hz, 6 A, according to country.
•    Air supply: 3-4 bars (0.3-0.4 MPa), minimum flow rate 10L/min (Compressor optionally included
•    No vibration table is needed, and instrument can be located on a common bench area because it carries a mini-vibration surface where the slide is imaged

Anticipated Period of Performance
It is anticipated that an award will be made on or about October 31, 2025. Delivery of equipment will be required as soon as possible.

Capability Statement/Information Sought
If your organization has the potential capacity to provide a COMET™  Lunaphore ACD enables multiplex sequential immunofluorescence (multiplex seqIF™) or spatial immunohistochemistry technology which meets the minimum salient characteristics listed above, please provide the following information:
 
1.    Organization name, address, point of contact, email address, website address, telephone number, UEI number
2.    Type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, Other than Small, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code
3.    Identification of any Best-in-Class contract vehicles including Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) (e.g., GSA schedule, NITAAC) they may possess or are aware of that would support this possible requirement. If your organization does not provide the products/services under a GWAC, please identify availability as OPEN MARKET ONLY.
4.    Tailored capability statement addressing the capability of the instrument to meet NIAID’s minimum salient characteristics. Capability document shall be no more than six pages.
5.    Place of manufacture for the microscope and if applicable, any accessories/components.
6.    Evidence that the organization is an authorized reseller or manufacturer of the instrument. Only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) products are acceptable.

Submission Instructions
Interested businesses who consider themselves qualified to provide the above listed COMET™ Lunaphore ACD enables multiplex sequential immunofluorescence (multiplex seqIF™)-are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by October 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM EST. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice shall be emailed to Michelle Cecilia at michelle.cecilia@hhs.gov.

Disclaimer and Important Notes
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Sam.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality
No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).