Mouse Digital Ventilated Cage (DVC) Individually Ventilated Rack System – Pilot Expansion and Software License

NOI-PCA-ORS-26-09461
NAICS – NAICS – 513210 / $47M – SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS
THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT AND NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. The Division of Veterinary Resources (DVR), within the Office of Research Services (ORS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with Tecniplast Group, USA, P.O. Box 1209, West Chester, PA 19380. This requirement requires the procurement, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training associated with an expansion of its existing Tecniplast Digital Ventilated Cage (DVC) individually ventilated caging (IVC) rack system for mice at NIH facilities located in Bethesda, Maryland. DVR currently operates a Tecniplast DVC demonstration/pilot rack system, and this acquisition will procure additional Tecniplast DVC-compatible racks, cages, air handling units, software licensing, and related components necessary to expand housing capacity while maintaining full technical and data compatibility with the existing installed system. Continuous access to a single, compatible ventilated caging and automated monitoring platform is critical to maintaining animal welfare, biocontainment integrity, data continuity, and compliance with federal regulations governing laboratory animal care.
DVR previously installed a Tecniplast DVC demonstration rack system at its Bethesda, Maryland facility to evaluate individually ventilated caging performance and automated, non-invasive home-cage monitoring capability, including artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML)-enabled analysis of animal activity and welfare indicators. DVR now requires an expansion of that system to increase mouse housing capacity while preserving compatibility with the already-installed racks, cages, air handling units, control infrastructure, and DVC software platform. This acquisition supports the initial expansion phase of DVR's broader Mouse Housing Infrastructure Modernization program. Separately, DVR's Market Research Report and Acquisition Plan for the enterprise-wide replacement of DVR's approximately 15,000-cage mouse housing census recommend full and open competition using vendor-neutral, performance-based specifications, because multiple manufacturers can meet DVR's general IVC rack requirements. This action is distinct from, and does not substitute for, that future full and open competitive acquisition. This action is limited to the expansion of the existing Tecniplast DVC pilot installation, for which Tecniplast is the only source capable of providing hardware and software that is technically and operationally compatible with the equipment DVR has already installed and is currently using to collect longitudinal animal welfare monitoring data. All products provided under this contract must support compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, AAALAC International accreditation standards, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requirements.
3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).
a. Project title. Mouse Digital Ventilated Cage (DVC) Individually Ventilated Rack System – Pilot Expansion
b. Project description. The contractor must provide all labor, materials, transportation, installation, commissioning, and training necessary to supply and integrate additional Tecniplast DVC-compatible mouse IVC racks and associated components with DVR's existing installed DVC demonstration system. These supplies include, but are not limited to:
• DVC EMM Rack Comfort double-sided ventilated rack systems with Smart Top flat-cage stainless steel lids (12 racks)
• Change-out cage components: Emerald DVC covers, EM500 stainless steel lids, EM500 polysulfone cage bases, polysulfone water bottles, bottle caps, and card holders
• Zephyr DVC air handling units, tested and packed, with power supply cables, extraction duct thimble assemblies, and hose connection kits (6 units)
• DVC Top Holder Evo units, DVC control panels, power cords, and DVC master-to-rack connection cables
• DVC Software License bundle (Bundle Pack A1), including associated Rack Single-Side software license services
• Installation and on-site training services
All products must meet strict quality, biocontainment, traceability, and data-compatibility standards necessary for integration with DVR's existing installed DVC platform and must comply with applicable animal care regulations and accreditation standards.
1. Only one award will be made as a result of this notice. This will be awarded as a firm-fixed price purchase order.
This will be the only notice of the Government's intent to solicit, negotiate, and award to one source to satisfy this requirement. The Government plans to award a contract for this requirement within 7 days of this notice.
The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 (b)(1)(i) only one source available, no substitutions possible. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS. All responsible sources who can provide the service should submit a capability statement via email to Linda Smith at Linda.Smith2@nih.gov by 5:00 Pm EST on August 22, 2026. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any responses received by NIH after this date and exact time specified are late and will not be considered.
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for any 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 it’s 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. For additional information or to submit responses, please contact Linda Smith, Contracting Officer at Linda.smith2@nih.gov. Or Jessica Emerson at Jessica.emerson@nih.gov