NCCIH 2018 ThorLabs Cerna Microscope and Components

Synopsis: Small Business Sources Sought Notice Number: HHSNIHNCISBSSTSB8072398 Title: NCCIH 2018 ThorLabs Cerna Microscope and Components 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; HUBZone small 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 requirement is assigned a code of 334516 in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and the size standard for such requirements is 1,000 employees. Your response 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. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement as a set-aside based upon responses to this Notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties are expected to review this Notice and the draft Statement of Work to familiarize themselves with the requirements of this project; failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. Background: The Section on Sensory Cells and Circuits at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is acquiring a functional imaging microscope with several specialized features that will optimize optical recordings from peripheral sensory neurons. This microscope can be tilted at various angles in a controlled and precise manner. This feature is very useful, as it will allow imaging of surface neurons in sensory ganglia at various angles and maximize the number of units in a given field of view. The existing microscopes in our lab are fixed at an upright angle, limiting our ability to image tissues such as the dorsal root ganglion which are tilted in-vivo. Also, this microscope allows for two fluorescence channels to be imaged simultaneously using two scientific CMOS cameras. This new capability will offer two major benefits for the research that will be performed in our lab. First, it will be used to perform ratiometric functional imaging, an approach that delivers an improved optical readout of voltage changes than current techniques available in our lab. Second, we will use this new capability to overcome a present technical challenge with movement correction of our functional imaging data. The modular design of this microscope will allow us to make changes and upgrades to the system to accommodate changes in the experiment designs. The manufacturer of this microscope, Thorlabs Inc, produces a large selection of compatible optical components that can be added or substituted into this microscope as future needs arise. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is anticipating awarding a fixed-price non-competitive purchase order to Thorlabs, Inc. of Newton, New Jersey for the purchase of a ThorLabs Cerna microscope and components. Purpose and Objectives: The Section on Sensory Cells and Circuits is building a new tilting microscope setup with the capability to perform functional imaging in two fluorescence channels simultaneously. This microscope will tilt on a motorized axis to allow for in-vivo imaging of the curved surface of tissues under recording. This new setup will be used to perform ratiometric functional imaging using a dual camera mount to measure a quantitative optical readout of voltage changes. The modular design and assembly of this microscope will allow us to make changes to the setup as required by our experiment. The purpose of this Small Business Sources Sought Notice (SBSS) is to identify qualified small business concerns that are interested in and capable of performing the work described herein. On behalf of NCCIH, the NCI does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this SBSS Notice, the NCI may issue a Request for Quote (RFQ). There is no solicitation available at this time. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NCI shall arise as a result of a response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice or the NCI's use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Project Requirements: The Contractor shall provide the Cerna brand tilting microscope with accompanying components. - Motorized tilting axis tower - Dual camera mount - Motorized stage - Excitation and emission filter sets - Vibration isolation table Delivery: The Contractor shall deliver all parts within 90 calendar days from date of the award to: NCCIH Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Contractor will be provided with mailing list and point of contact prior to delivery. Other Important Considerations: - Draft Statement of Work: A copy of the draft Statement of Work (SOW), which is subject to revisions, is attached. - Include taxes, shipping and handling/customs fees and special handling instructions. - Include descriptive literature, warranties, and /or other information that demonstrates the ability to meet the above specifications. Capability Statement/Information Sought: Respondents must be qualified and prepare tailored capability statements for all areas in the attached draft Statement of Work. The capability statements will be evaluated based on the information provided in relation to the project requirement and current capability. Information Submission Instructions: 1. Page Limitations: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement not to exceed ten (10) single sided pages including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc. (single spaced, 12 point font minimum) that clearly details the firm's ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above and in the draft SOW. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement, as well as the eligible small business concern's name, point of contact, address and DUNS number. 2. Number of Copies: One (1) electronic copy of the capability statement submitted electronically (via email) to Stephen Shaffer, Contracting Officer. 3. Delivery Point: All capability statements sent in response to this sources sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Stephen Shaffer, Contracting Officer, at Stephen.Shaffer@nih.gov in Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by August 9, 2018 at 3:00 PM, EDT. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. No calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted. Capability statements received after this date and time will not be considered. DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in this 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 pre-solicitation 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). Contracting Office Address: 8490 Progress Drive, Suite 400 Frederick, MD 21701 Primary Point of Contact: Stephen Shaffer Contracting Officer Stephen.Shaffer@nih.gov Phone: (301) 624-8759