Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH20000542 TITLE: Driver circuitry and connector for Optogenetic stimulation for nonhuman primates CLASSIFICATION CODE: 66 -- Instruments & labor... NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH20000542 TITLE: Driver circuitry and connector for Optogenetic stimulation for nonhuman primates CLASSIFICATION CODE: 66 -- Instruments & laboratory equipment NAICS CODE: 334510 – Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing RESPONSE DATE: January 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT: Thien Nguyen Thien.Nguyen2@nih.gov Phone: 301-827-0914 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) intends to negotiate on a sole source bases with Blackrock Microsystems LLC for LED driver and CerePort plug (Pogo-Pin) 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. This acquisition is set aside for small businesses. 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) 20019-01 dated December 1, 2018. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates higher brain functions such as explicit and implicit face processing, memory and reward. Until very recently, it was only possible to study circuitry at the cellular level in identified neurons in rodents, fish and a few other species. The present project leverages a new method that permits genetic-based selective activation of brain circuitry in nonhuman primates. This method will be used to understand the neural circuitry that primates use for visual perception. Understanding fundamental sensory 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 monkey brain. The goal is to procure driver circuitry and mating connector for the implanted LED (optogenetic) stimulators used to activate brain areas in nonhuman primates. The essential characteristics of the 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, 3) the high-reliability connector only matches the CerePort plug and only the (pogo-pin) version can handle the high current of the LEDs. Only the suggested source can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because they are currently the only one on the market with a system developed specifically for nonhuman primates. Purchase Description: PN 8841 – 64-ch LED Driver PN 4020 – CerePort Plug, standalone (pogo-pin) CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted. Specifically, Fieldline Inc. is the only vendor in the marketplace that can provide the products required by NIMH. The intended source is: Blackrock Microsystems 630 Komas Dr Ste 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1229 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, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), 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, NIMH20000542. Responses must be submitted electronically to Thien Nguyen, Contract Specialist, at thien.nguyen2@nih.gov. and Valerie Whipple, Contracting Officer, at valerie.whipple@nih.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.

Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Solicitation Number: NIMH20000542 Title: Driver circuitry and Connector for Optogenetic Stimulation in Non-Human Primates Classification Code... Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Solicitation Number: NIMH20000542 Title: Driver circuitry and Connector for Optogenetic Stimulation in Non-Human Primates Classification Code: 66 -- Instruments & laboratory equipment NAICS Code: 334510 – Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing Description: 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 and to determine the method of acquisition. 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. Background: This is the fourth acquisition of a LED cortical stimulation system for the Laboratory of Neuropsychology. It is the third one to be used by the Unit on Neurons, Circuits and Behavior. This purchase is to expand the use of this recently-developed technique to explore the causal relationship between visual cortex neuronal activity and perception. Purpose and Objectives: The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates higher brain functions such as explicit and implicit visual processing, memory, and reward-related behaviors. We will be working on a study that seeks to study causal relationships between brain areas and behavior. This novel research requires an optical stimulation system to activate transfected neurons in the brains of monkeys. The requirement is to obtain circuitry for driving LED (light emitting) arrays specifically for implantation in nonhuman primates, along with the matching connector for these arrays. Project requirements: The Contractor shall provide one (1) Blackrock Microsystems 8841 64-ch LED Driver and (1) 4020 CerePort Plug (Brand Name) or equal to the following specifications: Salient characteristics • 64-channel driver for Blackrock optogenetic stimulation LED arrays • Supports 5x5 multiport LED stimulation arrays with 24 LEDs and intrinsic temperature sensing • Pogo-pin plug to mate with the implanted CerePort connector • Must duplicate all features, specifications and performance of Blackrock optogenetic stimulation system. Anticipated Period of Performance: 60 days after contract award Capability statement /information sought: Contractors that believe that they possess the ability to provide the required equipment, should submit documentation on their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contract Specialist. The Contractor should directly and specifically state in the, capabilities statement, which project requirements can be meet and/or supplied. The Contractor must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc., pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. The information submitted must be 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 two (2) page limit. The 2-page limit does not include the cover page or executive summary. The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Thien Nguyen, Contract Specialist, at Thien.Nguyen2@nih.gov. and Valerie Whipple, Contracting Officer, at Valerie.Whipple@nih.gov The response must be received on or before December 30, 2019 at 12 pm, 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 Federal Business Opportunities. 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).