High resolution desktop micro CT scanner (Tissue CT)

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZones mall businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a)small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System(NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. 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: The NIH Mouse Imaging Facility (MIF) is a shared, intramural resource for preclinical animal imaging studies. The MIF provides the NIH intramural research community access to modern radiological imaging equipment optimized for rodents and other laboratory animals for noninvasive imaging studies. The MIF provides intellectual, technical and material support for NIH investigators. MIF imaging resources include: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT), high frequency ultrasound with photoacoustic imaging, bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging (optical imaging). The MIF is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art anatomical, functional and molecular medical imaging capabilities for animal models of human disease. Purpose and Objectives: The NIH Mouse Imaging Facility (MIF) needs a new high resolution ex-vivo Micro Computed Tomography (microCT) imager to replace the current scanner. The current scanner is no longer supported by the manufacturer. The scanner is required to capture extremely high resolution radiographic images of very small samples such as mouse teeth and bones, zebrafish and fruit flies. In the past five (5) years twelve (12) different NIH institutes have used the current ex-vivo microCT scanner and almost every institute has imaged tissue samples over its usage history. The ex-vivo microCT continues to be a MIF imaging resource in high demand. The objective of this acquisition is to obtain a new high resolution ex-vivo micro CT scanner to replace the current one that is no longer supported by the manufacturer. Project requirements: Generic Name of Product: High resolution desktop micro CT scanner (Tissue CT) Salient characteristics The high resolution desktop microCT imaging system must include a minimum of the following characteristics: - Scanner shall Include a 16 megapixel 14-bit cooled CCD camera with a minimum three offset positions equaling three times the field of view. - Equipment shall produce reconstructed volumes up to 209 Megapixel (14450x14450 pixels) virtual slices through objects, more than 2600 such slices after a single scan. - Equipment must use phase-contrast enhancement to visualize object details as small as 0.35um (minimum pixel size). - Scanner must contain an acquisition geometry with ability to simultaneously adjust the sample distance and detector distance to the X-ray source automatically. This means that for most scans the sample can be in the Near position, increasing scan speed by 5X. For either the highest resolution scan or the largest samples, the detector moves into the Mid or Far positions. - Camera shall provide continuous magnification from 0.34um - 25um pixel sizes. - Scanner shall contain a field of View X-ray Detector for samples up to 75mm in diameter, 70 mm high. Detector has 5000 pixels horizontally and 3280 pixel vertically for large field of view in a single scan. The scanner shall have the capability for reconstruction arrays of 14,450 x 14,450 (200Mp+ in a single reconstructed image). - System shall have a maintenance-free X-ray source (20-100kV, 10W) with <5 micron spot size, with automatically variable spot size to conserve X-ray source lifetime. - Scanner shall have a 6-position automatic filter changer to adjust x-ray energy and energy filtering of X-ray source. - System shall have unrestricted reconstructed data size limit supported by multithreaded GPU-accelerated 3D-reconstruction and realistic visualization by surface and volume rendering. - Scanner shall include an integrated micropositioning stage with 5mm travel to achieve exact positioning of small objects in the middle of the scanning area. - Contractor shall provide a 16-position automatic sample changer to allow the adding, removing, and replacing of samples without interrupting a live scanning process. Automatic magnification adjustment and scanning protocol optimization available for individual samples. At the end of the scan the system sends an e-mail with a direct link to the scanning results, which can be opened across a network. - System shall provide thermal correction for reconstruction: Pixel Projection Shift Correction (PPSC) is an advanced reconstruction algorithm that corrects for any thermal changes of the X-ray source due to environmental changes. - Physical footprint not to exceed (1160 mm X 520 mm X 330 mm) for site location - Scanner must be fully shielded for radiation safety: <1 uSv/h at any point of instrument. - Contractor Shall include software supplied with unlimited site license with free updates for the life of the instrument. - Contractor shall provide unlimited phone, email, and online support for the SkyScan instrument for the life of the instrument. (Support for Dell workstation provided in the Dell warranty.) - Contractor shall provide onsite training on-site for up to 5 people. Quantity: One (1) Anticipated period of performance: Ship within 6 months after receipt of order Warranty: Contractor shall warrant the equipment against defects in material or workmanship for a period of 12 months from the date of installation and acceptance. Capability statement /information sought: Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the products specified in this notice including providing information regarding being an authorized provider of the supplies and services. Also, information must be provided in sufficient details of the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and other management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. The respondent 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. Respondents should provide responses accordingly: (1) submit information electronically by email. No mail, telephone or facsimile responses will be accepted; (2) format capability statements using Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF including attachments, resumes, charts, etc. Use single space, 12 font minimum and 8.5 x 11 size paper; (3) organize material in such a manner that clearly identifies and addresses capability requirements and provide an executive summary; (4) capability statement should not exceed two pages not including the cover page, executive summary, or references; (5) RESPONSES SHOULD BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 9:00 AM EASTERN TIME ON August 12, 2019; (6) include respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and email addresses; and (7) send responses to this notice via email to danny.cohn@nih.gov. 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 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).