The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Providence Healthcare System, has a requirement for Engineering design, layout, and support services for research purposes. A fixed price contract of approximately 5 years is anticipated and shall be awarded. It is the Government s belief that only Bay Computer Associates of Cranston, RI possesses the required capabilities to successfully meet this requirement since this new work is a continuation of past efforts. This notice is advising the public of the Government s intent to issue a sole-source solicitation and award to this vendor. Inquiries/information received after the established deadline (January 25, 2017) shall not be considered. The submission of any data for review shall not impede award of this contract as planned. The Government does not intend to pay for information solicited. This synopsis is issued pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. Performance Work Statement: Background: Developing technologies to assist persons with paralysis, locked-in syndrome and limb amputations is a priority for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the Providence VA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology. ALS, with over 4000 new cases (U.S.) each year, has disproportionately high incidence among the veteran population. Due to injuries sustained in recent conflicts, care for veterans with upper extremity amputation is increasing. The VA has advanced relevant assistive technologies such as direct neural control of communications software for persons with ALS, revolutionary prosthetic arms, and functional electrical stimulation (FES) of paralyzed limbs. While direct brain control could advance adept use of these technologies, current neural decoding platforms are cumbersome and immobile. This research overcomes this barrier by developing a lightweight, battery-powered mobile platform that receives and decodes neural signals and delivers operating commands to mobile assistive technologies. The contractor shall work with the VA Principal Investigator and study staff to carry out the services/requirements described below. Requirements: The purpose and scope of this research contract is for the contractor to provide engineering layout design work yielding custom circuit board design files (such as schematics, board layout and documentation) and successful board fabrication, assembly and testing. The contractor must also provide intensive Engineering design support, through close interaction with the VA Principal Investigator and study staff, in specialized domains including high-performance wireless signal transmission, low-power and high-speed circuit design, medical prosthetic applications and custom embedded systems design. Scope of Work: Bay Computer Associates will provide Engineering Design work, Engineering Support and Layout to: define a microprocessor motherboard for prosthetic applications and its associated electronic sub-parts such as power supply system. create the custom motherboard including design, schematic, layout and documentation. determine specifications for, and create, the power supply scheme to power the motherboard. create custom input/output daughter cards to meet functionality specified by research study staff. as needed, perform circuit board design and layout revisions. provide other expert guidance in electronic systems design as needed to achieve project goals as defined by the VA Principal Investigator and research study staff. We anticipate that the numbers of hours of services will not exceed: Engineering Design work 450 hours (Estimate) Engineering Support 450 hours (Estimate) Layout 450 hours (Estimate) Period of Performance: Five years from date of award. Type of Contract: Indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity. Task orders will be placed against the contract as engineering design, layout and support hours and materials are needed. Progress and Compliance: Progress and compliance will be monitored by the Principal Investigator. Findings will be reported to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). Performance under this contract is subject to all VA and VHA regulations and policy without limitation as to those now in effect or as may be established and is subject to oversight of the VA Principal Investigator in consultation with the COR. The contractor shall submit invoices in a timely manner to the VA Principal Investigator for approval for services provided under this contract before submitting through the VA payment system. All invoices are subject to approval by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The research under which this project is funded may be extended, supplemented or expanded by additional funding from the VA s Office of Research and Development based on congressional appropriations.
