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Questions and answers: 1) Please confirm the pad printing for this item is actually an "A" instead of the stated "NX" 400 Nex-Gen IVC rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air kup and bl... Questions and answers: 1) Please confirm the pad printing for this item is actually an "A" instead of the stated "NX" 400 Nex-Gen IVC rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air kup and blank CD3 water grommet with letters (NX) printed on front of each cage. Response: It should be “A”. ?2) Please confirm for both items if they are rat or mouse? 60 Bio-Containment Unit (BCU) rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air supply port nozzle 60 Bio-Containment Unit (BCU) rodent clear polysulfone high temperature filter top with foam pre-filter and cage locks Response: For rat cages. MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITATION The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting market research to support the Center for Biological Evaluation and Research (CBER) requirement for rodent Individual Ventilated Cage rodent racks various types of caging component equipment. The FDA is seeking small business sources to determine the availability and capability of small businesses capable of providing the required products/services. Other than small business concerns are also encouraged to submit capability statements. The following information is provided to assist the FDA in conducting Market Research to identify potential contractors for this effort. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is- 332999 – All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing; the applicable Small Business Size Standard is 750 employees. Statement of WORK 1. INTRODUCTION: The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Division of Veterinary Services, White Oak Animal Program (CBER/DVS/WOAP) needs multiple rodent Individual Ventilated Cage rodent racks various types of caging component equipment items as listed below. The racks and caging will be used to support current approved conventional and bio-hazard levels 2 and 3 laboratory research studies for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) White Oak Animal program (WOAP). 2. BACKGROUND: Division of Veterinary Services (DVS) is responsible for supporting all aspects of FDA’s laboratory animal care and use program activities on the FDA’s White Oak campus. DVS administers a comprehensive set of animal-related services, providing humane care and wellbeing for small and large research animals. Routine services include daily veterinary care, trained animal care technicians, animal procurement, quarantine, transportation, animal housing, surgical procedures, standard and special diets, medicated and automatic watering, housing cage enrichment, daily animal observations, abnormal health condition reporting, hazardous waste decontamination, sterilization processes as well as sanitization of animal holding rooms, cage racks, and various caging component equipment. Due to the daily ergonomic challenges for animal care technicians, increase in small animal research, limited vivarium storage space, and specific research animal housing and safety requirements, DVS is currently in great need of new Individual Ventilated Cage (IVC) racks and supporting caging equipment with advanced technological features to replace last existing older stainless steel-type IVC rodent rack units. DVS has procured replacement IVC racks in the past eight (8) years. The latest orders procured were in 2023 (PO: 75F40123P00279), 2020 (PO: 75F40120P00492), 2019 (PO: 75F40119P10463), 2018 (HHSF223201820083A) 2017 (HHSF223201710200A), and 2016 (HHSF231610269G). The smaller footprint rack size and reduce weight of the entire rack has significantly improve equipment mobility, an increase in square footage of rodent living space and enhanced visibility of the animals without disturbing cage microenvironment. The racks also provide a high-level biosecurity for both the animal care workers and research staff utilizing the equipment. New additional IVC racks and care components are a must needed enhancement to IVC rodent racks units already in use. The additional IVC rodent racks and new replace caging components are greatly needed to support increasing laboratory rodent research studies. 3. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: IVC racks and cages shall be compatible with currently owned Allentown NexGen Lo-Profile systems: Five (5) racks – 140 cages/rack IVC rack Unit • Shall have Positive/Negative control (PNC) blower motor • Rack rear plenums 4" exhaust (left) side and 4" supply (right) side • Cage runner slots (Polysulfone Plastic) • Avidity Science Stainless Steel Automated Watering piping • Shall have removal Avidity Science G-200 water drinking valves • Shall have cage integrated lock system • Shall be double sided face 7 Column 10 row ventilated rodent rack • Shall have two front casters with brakes and two rear without brakes One (1) rack– 70 cages/ IVC rack unit • Shall have Positive/Negative control (PNC) blower motor • Rack rear plenums 4" exhaust (left) side and 4" supply (right) side • Cage runner slots (Polysulfone Plastic) • Avidity Science Stainless Steel Automated Watering piping • Shall have removal Avidity Science G-200 water drinking valves • Shall have cage integrated lock system • Shall be single face 7 Column 10 row ventilated rodent rack • Shall have two front casters with brakes and two rear without brakes One (1) rack – 70 cages/IVC rack unit • Shall have Positive/Negative control (PNC) blower motor • Rack rear plenums 4" exhaust (left) side and 4" supply (right) side • Cage runner slots (Polysulfone Plastic) • Shall have no Automated Watering piping • Shall have cage integrated lock system • Shall have single face 7 Column 10 row ventilated rodent rack • Shall have two front casters with brakes and two rear without brakes Performance requirements for all racks/cages: • IVC (70 or 140 cage racks) must have HEPA-filtered supply and exhaust plenum system • Equipment must operate with minimal vibration and noise at the cage level to prevent negative animal behavior. • Vendor will provide noise level documentation for HEPA supply and exhaust motors. • IVC racks must be capable of preventing the escape of mouse allergens into the macroenvironment and provide a quiet housing microenvironment at cage level. • Rack exhaust blowers shall have transition plate and the capability to connect to 4-inch diameter existing vivarium 4” ceiling exhaust thimble port. • Rack and cages must be equipped to supply air inside cage at cage bottom level • Rack must be capable of withstanding 300 degrees Fahrenheit water temperature • Shall provide animal cage air exhaust via filter top direct connect to rack exhaust port • Supply and exhaust air HEPA filtered blower motors shall have touch screen Bluetooth and USB cord with hose assembly • Exhaust blower grey purple label with interconnection cord with hose assembly • IVC racks must not exceed 64’ wide x 35’’ deep and 82’ high • All IVC racks must have high temp 300-degree Fahrenheit autoclavable wheels • IVC racks must have as few possible removable parts for cleaning and sanitation • IVC racks must be in conformance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Animals for animal housing of rodents • On-site service for installation of all equipment offered for the IVC racks. • 400 Nex-Gen IVC rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air kup and blank CD3 water grommet with letters (NX) printed on front of each cage • 750 Nex-Gen IVC rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air kup with H2O water for removal Avidity Science G-200 drinking valve and letters (RX) printed on front of each cage • 60 Bio-Containment Unit (BCU) rodent clear polysulfone high temperature cage with air supply port nozzle • 60 Bio-Containment Unit (BCU) rodent clear polysulfone high temperature filter top with foam pre-filter and cage locks DELIVERY POINT: Delivery must be coordinated in with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) listed below in advance: FDA White Oak, 10903 New Hampshire Silver Spring, MD 20993 building 52/72 loading dock CBER/OM/DVS Attn: to be completed at time of award 10903 New Hampshire Ave. Building 10 Room G111 Silver Spring, MD 20993 Email: Telephone: Period of Performance The equipment shall be delivered within 180 calendar days after award. FOB Point Destination. All items shall include shipping and handling to the destination identified herein. Alternative solutions will be considered insofar as any such alternate system and/or system components meet the minimum intended use of the system and brand name or equal technical requirements. The offeror shall furnish sufficient technical information necessary for the Government to conclusively determine that the offered products/services and components meet the technical requirements identified above. Though the target audience is small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product/service of a small business manufacturer or producer all interested parties may respond. At a minimum, responses shall include the following: • Business name, SAM Unique Entity ID number, business address, business website, business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB), point of contact name, mailing address (if different from business address), phone number and email address (Provide this same information if responding to provide a product manufactured by another firm); • Sufficient descriptive literature that unequivocally demonstrates that offered products and services can meet the above requirements. All descriptive material necessary for the government to determine whether the service/product offered meets the technical requirements including: technical specifications, ISO certifications, descriptive material, literature, brochures and other information, which demonstrates the capabilities of the contractor to meet the requirement. • Three (3) years of past performance information, where the respondent has provided same or substantially similar Items/service solutions as the description above. For each past performance reference include the date of sale, description, dollar value, client name, client address, client point of contact name, client point of contact mailing address (if different from that provided for client), client point of contact phone number, client point of contact email address, and name of the manufacturer (to include SAM Unique Entity ID number and size status) if not the respondent. • If applicable, identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement. Detailed list of items included and not included on the GSA contract to meet this requirement. • If applicable, identification of Best in Class (BIC) contract information or other Government-wide or HHS-wide contracts that the equipment/service is available on. • Provide information if any of these specifications are too restrictive. No response will be considered that the listed specifications are adequate in a competitive environment. • If a large business, identify the subcontracting opportunities that would exist for small business concerns; • Standard commercial warranty and payment terms; • Provide place of product manufacture or service performance and any other applicable information to enable review and analysis pertaining to the Buy American statute and requirements relating to Made in America in the event a nonavailability waiver request through the MIAO Digital Waiver Portal is needed; and • Though this is not a request for quote, informational pricing is encouraged. The government is not responsible for locating or securing any information, not identified in the response. The Government encourages any comments and/or suggestions from any interested party, regarding the specifications. While the Government will not respond directly to your comments and/or suggestions; we will consider them as we finalize the specifications in preparation for the forthcoming solicitation. Interested Parties shall respond with capability statements which are due by email to the point of contact listed below on or before May 15, 2024 by 13:00 hours (Central Time in Jefferson, Arkansas) to nick.sartain@fda.hhs.gov. Reference CBER-2024-123637. Notice of Intent Responses to this sources sought announcement will assist the Government in determining whether or not any future requirement similar to this one should be set aside for small business, made available to full and open competition or procure through sole-source acquisition procedures. 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).