Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Driver circuitry and connector for Optogenetic stimulation for nonhuman primates

NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH20000542 TITLE: Driver circuitry and connector for Optogenetic stimulation for nonhuman primates CLASSIFICATION CODE: 66 -- Instruments & laboratory equipment NAICS CODE: 334510 - Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing RESPONSE DATE: January 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT: Thien Nguyen contact@example.gov Phone: +1 (555) 000-0000 DESCRIPTION: INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to negotiate on a sole source bases with Blackrock Microsystems LLC for LED driver and CerePort plug (Pogo-Pin) NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 334510 - ELECTROMEDICAL AND ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS MANUFACTURING with a Size Standard of 1,250 employees. This acquisition is set aside for small businesses. REGULATORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13'Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13'Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6'Competition Requirements. FAR Subpart 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source provides that: For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting officers may solicit from one source IF the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name OR industrial mobilization). The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 20019-01 dated December 1, 2018. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates higher brain functions such as explicit and implicit face processing, memory and reward. Until very recently, it was only possible to study circuitry at the cellular level in identified neurons in rodents, fish and a few other species. The present project leverages a new method that permits genetic-based selective activation of brain circuitry in nonhuman primates. This method will be used to understand the neural circuitry that primates use for visual perception. Understanding fundamental sensory processes is an important part of the mission of the NIMH. This novel work requires a specialized optical stimulation system to activate transfected neurons in the monkey brain. The goal is to procure driver circuitry and mating connector for the implanted LED (optogenetic) stimulators used to activate brain areas in nonhuman primates. The essential characteristics of the driver circuitry for optogenetic stimulation in nonhuman primates that limit the availability to a sole source are 1) Blackrock Microsystems is the only commercial entity that has a system for direct optogenetic stimulation of of the brain through 24 LEDs that has been tested successfully in non-human primates, 2) the electronic circuit that operates with these LEDs is proprietary, and thus cannot be reproduced without permission from Blackrock, 3) the high-reliability connector only matches the CerePort plug and only the (pogo-pin) version can handle the high current of the LEDs. Only the suggested source can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because they are currently the only one on the market with a system developed specifically for nonhuman primates. Purchase Description: PN 8841 - 64-ch LED Driver PN 4020 - CerePort Plug, standalone (pogo-pin) CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted. Specifically, Fieldline Inc. is the only vendor in the marketplace that can provide the products required by NIMH. The intended source is: Blackrock Microsystems 630 Komas Dr Ste 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1229 CLOSING STATEMENT THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number, NIMH20000542. Responses must be submitted electronically to Thien Nguyen, Contract Specialist, at contact@example.gov. and Valerie Whipple, Contracting Officer, at contact@example.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.