Inactive

NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH-22-004143-NOI TITLE: NIMH Image Visualize Software Package CLASSIFICATION CODE: D – Information Technology and Telecommunications NAICS CODE: ... NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH-22-004143-NOI TITLE: NIMH Image Visualize Software Package CLASSIFICATION CODE: D – Information Technology and Telecommunications NAICS CODE: 511210 – Software Publishers RESPONSE DATE: 7/14/22 at 5PM EST PRIMARY POINTS OF CONTACT: Kyle Miller Kyle.miller2@nih.gov Robin Knightly Robin.Knightly@nih.gov DESCRIPTION: INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Intramural Research Program (IRP) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with ARIVIS AG for the purchase of a software license for the product VisionHub and user software licenses for the product Arivis Vision4D. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 511210 – Software Publishers with a Size Standard of $41.5m. REGULATORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6—Competition Requirements. FAR Subpart 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source provides that: For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting officers may solicit from one source IF the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name OR industrial mobilization). The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2022-06 dated April 26, 2022. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT The NIMH Intramura Research Program (IRP) requires software for the visualization and analysis of very large image sets collected on confocal, multiphoton, slide scanning, and light sheet microscopes. Additionally, our program requires software that will allow users to remotely access and share large image sets in Arvis .sis format. Analysis of images collected using several different types of light microscopy is an essential step in experiments performed by basic science investigators in the NIMH intramural program. To facilitate this the program has developed a Systems Neuroscience Imaging Resource aimed at providing hardware, software, and expertise focused on the unique imaging needs of the work being carried out by NIMH intramural investigators. These experiments often involve large image data sets because large brain regions, multiple brain regions, entire brains and multiple brains need to be imaged at a resolution that allows visualization of individual neurons and individual axons or dendrites and viewed in an integrated manner. The Systems of Neuroscience Imaging Resources (SNIR) has purchased several licenses for Arivis Vision 4D software which provides the capabilities described above. Those licenses are now heavily used and, because of that, the institute now requires a third license for this software. It is important that this software, and not an alternative product, is purchased so that the macros and pipelines that have been developed can be used. There is a steep learning curve for this and related software packages. With a third license for the same software, the existing software development and expertise can be used. There is also a need for several investigators to view and discuss images and processed images created with Vision4D. This viewing requires that the viewer be able to view the images at different scales, “zooming in and out” because “low magnification’ is required to provide an anatomical/geographic perspective and high magnificent is important to see details that cannot be discerned when images are viewed at low magnification. A viewer capable of rapidly scaling parts of very large images is required. Thus, this acquisition requires the purchase of a license for a product from Arivis that is related to Vision4D and works with files created with Vision4D, called VisionHub. VisionHub will allow multiple users to remotely view images processed with Vision4D software and in its proprietary software format. This project will last one (1) year with four (4) additional option years. CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION During market research, it was found that this is the only software that is acceptable so that the macros and pipelines that have been developed can continue to be used. Continuing with the same license will allow us to maintain the existing software development and existing expertise that has already been developed. There is a steep learning curve for all software of this type. The analysis performed by this software is somewhat different than that of software from other suppliers so that they are not interchangeable. The propriety format of the files generated from this software is not compatible with proprietary software from other vendors. Therefore, with these facts in mind, it was found that Arivis AG is the only vendor that can provide the needed products. The intended source is: Arivis AG AM KABUTZENHOF 21 ROSTOCK, 18057 DEU CLOSING STATEMENT THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Unique Entity Identifier ID (UEI), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number, NIMH-22-004143-NOI. Responses must be submitted electronically to Kyle Miller, Contract Specialist, at kyle.miller2@nih.gov and Robin Knightly, Contracting Officer, at robin.knightly@nih.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.