Inactive

INTRODUCTION The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is issuing this sources sought synopsis on behalf of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) ... INTRODUCTION The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is issuing this sources sought synopsis on behalf of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies available to provide a slit lamp exam microscope with high quality image capturing. The result of this market research will help contribute to determining the method of procurement. Based on the responses to this sources sought notice/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions. DISCLAIMER This sources sought is for informational purposes only. This is not a request for quotes (RFQ) requesting quotes to be submitted. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the government. Responses in any form are not offers, and the government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is strictly voluntary. PROGRAM BACKGROUND As the Department of Defense's lead laboratory for the development of medical countermeasures against chemical threat agents, the USAMRICD is increasingly called upon to provide expert analytical and consultative services related to medical chemical defense research and to the medical management of chemical casualties. As part of the Medical Toxicology Research Division, Biochemistry and Physiology Department, USAMRICD studies potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of vesicant ocular injuries. We require an additional slit lamp instrument and associated camera to avoid delays in research execution and to provide research execution on multiple funded research projects simultaneously at USAMRICD. The USAMRICD currently owns and operates a Haag-Streit BX 900 LED Slit Lamp Microscope, which is an essential system to complete funded research milestones. We use the system to examine and take ocular images to perform image analysis to show the progress of ocular injury, such as corneal neovascularization. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Government requires a slit lamp exam microscope system to examen and take eye images and perform image analysis to show the progress of ocular injury, such as corneal neovascularization. A Haag-Streit BX900 system uses a xenon tube and an external flash unit that produce 300,000 Lux Illumination, which is required to capture high-definition images to determine mouse corneal injuries. Bright and high-definition images are critical to decern between normal iris blood vessels and pathologic corneal blood vessels of mouse model strain BALB/C, which have red eyes. Since slit lamp microscope systems are generally developed for human eyes, we are not certain that other brand and model slit lamp microscopes would meet our needs. Slit Lamp Exam Microscope System Total Magnification Ratio: 6.3x, 10x, 16x, 25x, 40x A professional level digital SLR camera and its attachment to the Slit Lamp Exam Microscope Minimum 12 megapixel (pixel density of 1.5 megapixels per square centimeter) ISO speeds from 100 to 1600 Shutter speed up to 1/8000 sec, with a flash sync speed of 1/200 sec Image capture in JPEG mode A xenon tube and an external flash unit that delivers high power flash illumination (300,000 Lux) in a fully synchronized manner with the DSLR camera. A shutter release mechanism that controls LED powered slit and integrated flash simultaneously Filters: Blue, Green An image management software that can index image file names by subject names (e.g., Ki_461-001, Ki_461-02, Ki_461-03 [Ki_461 is subject name]) to build a library of ocular exam images. The software must be compatible with the DSLR camera to receive image files from the camera. A TAA compliant computer that can run the image management software and is compatible with the DSLR camera to receive and store image files from the DSLR camera. Minimum RAM 8 GB Minimum CPU power Intel Core i5 (3 GHz) Minimum Hard Drive storage 200 GB Instrument table: 120 cm (L) x 39 cm (W) The intent of this Sources Sought is to determine the availability of these products with these capabilities to meet this requirement. ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 339115, ‘Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing’, with a Small Business Size Standard of 1,000 employees. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 6640, Laboratory Equipment and Supplies. SUBMISSION DETAILS Interested businesses shall submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than five 8.5 X 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating ability to provide the products/systems listed in this Technical Description. Documentation should be in bullet format. No phone or email inquiries requesting a status of any potential future solicitations will be accepted, prior to the posting of that subject solicitation. Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, Dan Pikus (daniil.y.pikus.civ@health.mil) in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) format via email no later than 12:00 PM, Eastern Time, on 16 August 2023 and reference this synopsis number in the subject line of the e-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required products/systems, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, Web site address, telephone number, and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.