Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Fear Conditioning Hardware

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) intends to award a Purchase Order to Med Associates, Inc., of 166 Industrial Park Rd, Fairfax, VT, for the purchase of fear conditioning hardware for use at NIEHS, Research Triangle Park (RTP) Campus. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334515 "Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals", with a size standard of 750 employees. NO SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) IS AVAILABLE. It has been determined that Med Associates, Inc. is the only known responsible source capable of providing the required supplies and no other supplies will satisfy the agency's requirements. The acquisition of fear conditioning hardware will enable NIEHS to study the role of the neural pathways that underlie learning and memory needed to add the additional capability of a broad category of behavioral procedures referred to as fear conditioning. Med Associates' hardware has specially designed chambers and support arms for experiments that utilize fiber optic cables and/or electrical wires used for testing. The suite provides a broad variety of shock grids and inserts to create multiple distinct contexts and the precise dimensions of their apparatus meet the specific requirements of NIEHS' planned experiments. Currently Med Associates is the only vendor that provides the Med Associates Fear Conditioning Suite. This notice of intent is not a solicitation or request for quotes. Notwithstanding, any firm that believes it is capable of meeting NIEHS' requirement, as stated herein, may submit their corporate capabilities, which, if received by the response date of this announcement, may be considered. Responses to this posting must be in writing and shall be emailed to nicole.humphrey@nih.gov and are due by the listed due date and time. 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. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future.