Measuring mouse body composition

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases is seeking a Whole-Body Composition Analyzer to replace an outdated system that is more than 17 years old and no longer functional. The new instrument must accurately and non-invasively measure fat mass, lean mass, and body water in live mice without the use of anesthesia, ensuring that sympathetic tone is preserved and metabolic readouts remain unaltered by anesthetic agents. This capability is critical for supporting ongoing research in obesity, diabetes, and related metabolic disorders across multiple laboratories. The system must deliver rapid scans of approximately one to two minutes per mouse, with high precision and reproducibility for all measured parameters, and must enable longitudinal tracking of the same subjects over time. Operator variability must be minimized, and the device’s performance must have been demonstrated and validated in peer-reviewed metabolic research. The solicitation is structured as a presolicitation under NAICS Code 334516 and is exclusively set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. The contract will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, with proposals due by June 9, 2026. The procuring agency is the Department of Health and Human Services, and the point of contact is John Burton. No pricing details, delivery schedules, evaluation factors, inspection protocols, or specific contract clauses have been provided in the available documentation.