Inactive

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 Laboratory of Neurops... 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 Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN) in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to procure an optical stimulation array for implantation in nonhuman primates, along with the matching driver circuitry, on a sole source basis with BLACKROCK MICROSYSTEMS. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 334510 –Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing with a Size Standard of 1,250 employees. 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 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates fundamental brain functions such as reward-motivated behaviors. We seek to understanding the circuitry responsible for evaluating options and making decisions. By expanding and refining genetic techniques first used in rodents, our group has developed new tools for nonhuman primates. This purchase will allow us to apply these new optogenetic tools. Understanding fundamental processes is an important part of the mission of the NIMH. This novel work requires a specialized optical stimulation system to activate transfected neurons in the nonhuman primate brain. The goal is to procure an implatable LEDs and driver circuitry used to activate these brain areas. The essential characteristics of the LEDs and driver circuitry for optogenetic stimulation in nonhuman primates that limit the availability to a sole source are 1) Blackrock Microsystems is the only commercial entity that has a system for direct optogenetic stimulation of of the brain through 24 LEDs that has been tested successfully in non-human primates, 2) the electronic circuit that operates with these LEDs is proprietary, and thus cannot be reproduced without permission from Blackrock. Only the suggested source can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because they are currently the only company on the market with a system developed specifically for nonhuman primates. The supplies will be required to be delivered within 90 days after receipt of purchase order. CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION This vendor’s product is the only commercial product tested in nonhuman primates. If a competing product is brought to market, it would have to be tested in nonhuman primates before consideration. Through market research, we have found that no competing product or vendor exists. Given the proprietary nature of the Blackrock product, any new product would not be compatible with the arrays and software we use to activiate the LEDs. It is critical to use the same components in each experiment. The LED arrays are implanted in each subject. Once implanted, the matching system must be used. Standardizing on one vendor’s system is essential in case a system fails. Each new system provides a backup for the others. No other vendor’s offering can provide this resource. The intended source is: Blackrock Microsystems 630 Komas Drive, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84108 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 Identity 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-22-004336-NOI. Responses must be submitted electronically to Jeff Moore, Contracting Specialist, at jeff.moore@nih.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.