PET and Quantitative data analysis of rCPS for auto-radiographic studies

INTRODUCTION This is a Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) 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 notice is issued to help determine the availability and type of qualified Small Business companies technically capable of meeting this potential government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. The notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method including small business socio-economic set-aside possibilities and to determine the availability of qualified Small Business companies technically capable of meeting the Government's potential requirement. All Small Business companies with the capability and availability to perform the requirement under the applicable NAICS code are invited to submit a response to this notice. NORTH AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The NAICS code applicable to this requirement is 541990 -- All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services with associated business size standard $15,000,000.00. BACKGROUND The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of 27 Institute Centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) committed to making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIMH is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. The Section on Neuroadaptation & Protein Metabolism (SNPM) at the NIMH studies the role of protein metabolism in adaptive responses of the nervous system. Long-term changes in the nervous system occur during development and aging, in response to synaptic activity and hormones, and as a result of disease or injury. These changes produce regional adjustments in protein metabolism that underlie growth, remodeling, degeneration, regeneration, and involution. SNPM has developed imaging methods for measuring rates of synthesis of proteins in all regions of the brain simultaneously. These methods can be applied to studies of both animals and human subjects. Measurements of protein synthesis can give a unique window into the normal adaptive responses of nervous tissue and may provide a means of monitoring both disease progression and treatment response. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this potential requirement is for SNPM to obtain contractor support to provide data analysis services for the Section's positron emission tomography (PET) and quantitative auto-radiographic studies. Contractor shall provide data analyses for determining regional rates of Cerebral Protein Synthesis (rCPS) with the C-11 Leucine PET Method and the C 14 Leucine Quantitative Auto-radiographic Method. The SNPM developed a fully quantitative method for measuring rCPS with L-[1-11C]leucine and PET. The method was validated in rhesus monkeys by direct comparison of PET results with those from quantitative auto-radiographic and biochemical methods. Subsequently, SNPM performed PET studies to measure rCPS in healthy human subjects in the awake state and under propofol sedation and in subjects with Fragile X Syndrome. The section will conduct further PET studies in healthy subjects during sleep and memory consolidation, and in FrX subjects who can be studied awake or under an alternative sedating agent that does not alter rCPS in these subjects. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS Offerors to this Small Business Sources Sought notice MUST document evidence of being able to achieve the following critical elements of this potential requirement. Offerors shall specify the sensitivity, reproducibility, and throughput factors, and any other qualifications the Offeror deems applicable, for PET and Quantitative data analysis of rCPS for auto-radiographic studies. Contractors submitting a response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice shall possess the ability to achieve the salient government features of this potential requirement. Specifically, Offerors shall possess the ability to successfully perform the following, for each PET or auto-radiographic study, data analyses to include: 1. Evaluation of measured input functions, including smoothing and/or error-correction as necessary. 2. Estimation of arterial input functions from venous blood measurements. 3. Transformation of PET data to align with MRI data, and inverse transformation of MRI data to align with PET data as necessary. 4. Calculation of tissue time-activity curves (PET studies) or final tissue activity (auto-radiographic studies) for all regions of interest to the PI. Performance of data quality control, including examination of possible motion artifacts, coordination of additional reconstructions of the data if errors are found, performance of smoothing and/or error-correction as necessary. 5. Employment of the C-11 or C-14 Leucine Tracer Kinetic Model to estimate model parameters for the tracer in each region. Troubleshooting and correction of any problems that arise from ill-conditioned or outlier data. 6. Determination of rCPS for all regions of interest. 7. Updating Matlab software used for determining rates of cerebral protein synthesis with L [1-11C]leucine and positron emission tomography; performing additional analyses to include interconnected software of more than 500 Matlab scripts and functions that carry out all calculations; modifying the software to incorporate changes in data acquisition and/or analysis requirements; implementing input and instructions with thorough knowledge of the L-[1-11C]leucine method in order to set it up correctly; identifying and correcting any source of errors that arise during the analyses. Contractor will also be required to provide on an as needed basis the following tasks: 1. Advise Government officials on optimal methods of analysis independently performing the requisite analyses. 2. Respond to questions from any government laboratory personnel with the necessary mathematical and computational background who wish to perform analyses for future studies. 3. The contractor will furnish all necessary labor, material, supplies, and equipment other than a computer workstation that will be provided by the Government. 4. Data reports for each PET or auto-radiographic study analyzed. As each study is completed, the contractor will provide an interim summary report covering all subjects or animals in the protocol. A final summary report will be delivered upon completion of all studies in the protocol. All work will be monitored by the Government Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) or delegated official. Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance for this potential requirement will be effective on or around February 10, 2017 through February 9, 2018 with the option to exercise two (2) additional subsequent one-year Periods of Performance. CAPABILITY STATEMENT / INFORMATION SOUGHT Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. Respondents must provide clear and convincing evidence of possessing the knowledge, skills, abilities and experience to successfully perform the requirements described in this announcement. Detailed past experience in implementing similar requirements to the requirement described in this announcement must be clearly delineated in any response provided, including a Curriculum Vitae (CV). Evidence of any published manuscripts or other documentation produced shall be used to support past experience. Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability in providing analytical quality control and any other requirements and services specified in this notice. Respondents must provide a general overview of the respondents' opinions about the difficulty and /or feasibility of the potential requirement, and any information regarding innovative ideas or concepts. The Respondent must also provide information in sufficient detail of the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The response is limited to ten (10) pages. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, CV's or references, if requested. The information submitted must be must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the product requirement. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must reference the solicitation number and be submitted to Hunter Tjugum at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov and NIDASSSAPurchaseRequ@mail.nih.gov prior to the closing date specified in this announcement. The response must be received on or before the closing date/time specified in this announcement. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the 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 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).