Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This annou... (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is 75N95024Q00273 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2024-05, with effective date 5/22/2024. (iv) The associated NAICS code 334118 and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees. This requirement is set aside for small businesses. (v) This requirement is for the following item: MRI-compatible Flat Panel Video Display. See attached for the purchase description. (vi) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the anticipated delivery date is 8 weeks after receipt of order (ARO). Delivery will be f.o.b. destination. The place of delivery and acceptance will be 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore MD 21224. (vii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of provision) The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020) FAR 52.204-29, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders – Representation and Disclosures (Dec 2023) FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sep 2023) FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Feb 2024) HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015) The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of clause) The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2023). HHSAR 352.239-74, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (December 18, 2015) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text. Offerors MUST complete the provisions below and submit completed copies as separate documents with their proposal. FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders--Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2024) FAR 52.225-6, Trade Agreements Certificate (Feb 2021) NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (viii) The Government will evaluate quotations or offers in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 and award a purchase order from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes: a. Technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement; b. Price; and c. Past performance [see FAR 13.106-2(b)(3)]. Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. (ix) Offerors must include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Feb 2024), with its offer. If the offeror has completed FAR clause 52.212-3 at www.sam.gov, then the offeror does not need to provide a completed copy with its offer. (x) There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xi) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. (xii) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance, special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations. The Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All quotations must be received by 11 am., Eastern Daylight Time, on June 21, 2024, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95024Q00273. Responses must be submitted electronically to Hashim.Dasti@nih.gov and Karen.Mahon@nih.gov. Fax responses will not be accepted.

Inactive

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 and capabil... 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 and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement, to determine the method of acquisition, and availability of domestic sources manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of a satisfactory quality. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Small businesses are encouraged to respond. For equipment/supply requirements, small business responses must include: (1) the place of manufacturing (i.e. address if supply/equipment is a domestic end product and include country of manufacture), as well as (2) the size status of the manufacturer under the applicable NAICS code (i.e. address Non-Manufacturer Rule). Background: During an fMRI experiment utilizing visual stimulation, the subject lies supine in the MRI magnet with their head in a head coil, looking backwards via a mirror mounted above their eyes. The visual display must be placed behind the subject, either by projecting the image on a screen inside the magnet bore or by placing a flat panel display directly behind the magnet. The size of the display must be selected so that the subject can see the entire screen. Equipment used to display the visual stimulus must be carefully designed, built and tested to function safely in a MRI environment. This is especially vital when it is used with a ultra-high field MRI system such as NIA's new Siemens 7T Terra X scanner. Specifically, the display, including all supporting and mounting hardware, must not be attracted to the magnet. This requires careful replacement of any ferromagnetic components, such as transformers, with non-magnetic alternatives. Further, in order to prevent artifacts in the MRI images, the display must incorporate radio-frequency (RF) shielding that greatly attenuates electromagnetic interference caused by the display. Similarly, the display must function correctly in the presence of high static and pulsed magnetic fields and high-power RF transmission. These considerations apply not only to the flat panel itself but also to any cables connecting it to power sources and the video input signal. For this reason, power cables must be specially shielded, power supplies must include low-pass filters and video signals are carried from the MRI control room by fiber optic cables. Finally, so that the image appears to the subject with correct orientation, the display must project the mirror-image of the fMRI stimulus video output. In summary, an ordinary flat panel display designed for routine office use will not suit NIA’s requirement; a flat panel display with associated non-magnetic mounting hardware, RF-shielded power supply and fiber optic video interface specifically designed, tested and certified for use with 7T MRI systems, is needed. Purpose and Objectives: That National Institute on Aging (NIA) requires an MRI-compatible flat panel display to present video stimuli to human subjects undergoing functional MRI (fMRI) scanning on a Siemens 7T Terra X MRI scanner. This device must be designed, tested and certified to operate safely at 7 Tesla by the manufacturer of the display and/or Siemens. Project requirements: The monitor and associated support hardware must be fully non-magnetic and shielded for safe operation when placed directly behind a 7T clinical MRI scanner magnet. The monitor must have demonstrated successful operation when placed directly behind a 7T clinical MRI magnet, generating no detectable MR image artifacts associated with radio-frequency interference (RFI) and degradation in picture quality due to the magnetic and electromagnetic fields produced by the scanner. The monitor should have a nominal (diagonal) screen size of 32” – A larger display would not be entirely visible to a subject undergoing brain scanning in the 7T MRI due to its relatively long magnet bore (about 4’ from the back of the magnet to isocenter). The width of the active screen should be at least 24” – this is required so that the screen image fills the subject’s field of view in the left-right direction. The monitor should be mounted on a non-magnetic trolley to permit quick deployment and removal as needed for fMRI and non-fMRI experiments. This trolley must slide over the patient bed track of the Siemens 7T Terra X MRI scanner (approximately 8” wide and 29” above finished floor). The video signal must pass from the MRI control room to the monitor inside the magnet room entirely by fiber optic cable(s) – this is needed to prevent RFI generated by the scanner from causing noise in the video signal and to prevent the induction of MR image artifacts. Fiber optic and DC power cables must be provided to span a linear distance of 70’ between the monitor in the magnet room and the interface unit in the control room. Any electrical filters required for cables passing through the penetration panel must be supplied by the contractor. The interface unit in the control room must accept video input via an HDMI interface – this is needed for connection to both paradigm-presenting computers and standalone video streaming devices. Preferably, the interface unit will also accept video input via DisplayPort and USB 3 interfaces, which are common on more recent computers and other video sources. The system must be able to project the mirror image of the input video signal so that the image will appear correctly when viewed by the subject viewing the screen through a mirror. When not in use, it must be possible to power down the monitor to maximize display lifetime and to prevent radio-frequency interference that might compromise extremely sensitive experiments. The contractor must provide on-site installation and training for the monitor and other contractor-supplied equipment. Anticipated period of performance: 8 weeks ARO. Other important considerations: In case domestic sources are available and capable of fulfilling the Government’s need, and a future solicitation is published, the Government will use evaluation preferences in accordance with FAR 25. Capability statement /information sought. Companies that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required products submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately. Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Capability statements must also include the Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information. The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Interested companies are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to ten (10) page limit. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Hashim Dasti, Contract Specialist, at hashim.dasti@nih.gov. The response must be received on or before May 17, 2024 at 11AM Eastern Time. 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 presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.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).