Service maintenance agreement for a Siemens Healthineers 3 Tesla (3T) Skyra MRI Scanner, Functional Location (FL) #: 400-341887, owned and operated by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE 1. Solicitation Number: 75N95024Q00196-SSN 2. Title: Service maintenance agreement for a Siemens Healthineers 3 Tesla (3T) Skyra MRI Scanner, Functional Location (FL) #: 400-341887, owned and operated by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 3. Classification Code: J066 - Maint/Repair/Rebuild of Equipment- Instruments And Laboratory Equipment 4. NAICS Code: 811210 - Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance 5. Size Standard: $34M 6. Description: This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the 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. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Background: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation's leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability, conducting, supporting and making medical discoveries that improve people's health and save lives. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Functional MRI Facility (FMRIF) is seeking maintenance services for the 3 T Siemens Skyra MRI scanner (designated FMRIF-3TD - Siemens system ID #400-341877) to ensure continuous and successful operation of the scanner as a research tool. The scanner is a highly valuable research tool within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), utilized nearly continuously by over 30 researchers and their staff for a wide array of protocols, both clinical and research oriented. It is especially crucial for a number of clinical protocols involving multiple sclerosis patients. The FMRIF-3TD scanner is also extremely valuable as a development platform. Purpose and Objectives: The FMRIF 3TD scanner is an important research resource within the NIH, as it the only remaining wide bore (70cm) 3T MRI operated by the NIMH and NINDS, especially useful for studying patient groups with severe mobility issues. It is crucial for several clinical protocols involving Multiple Sclerosis patients. The scanner is utilized nearly continuously by over 30 researchers and their staffs for a wide array of protocols, both clinically and research oriented. FMRIF 3TD is also used for research and evaluation of new imaging technologies, which are then applied to other MRI scanners within the NIH. Project requirements: The contractor shall provide comprehensive maintenance services for the Siemens 3T Skyra MRI scanner currently located at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland in Building 10, Room B1D307. The maintenance services includes Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts, labor, service support, and system updates from authorized manufacturer technicians. Services required are for the contractor to provide all parts software, labor transportation, personnel, equipment. An uptime guarantee of 97% or greater is needed. A phone response in under 30 minutes after request has been initiated (24 hrs/day) is required. On-site response in under 4 hours, by a certified Siemens-trained service engineer after request has been initiated during weekly coverage hours, is required. Perform routine preventative maintenance that follows the original manufacturer guidelines and frequency. Software updates for all equipment as they become available from the original manufacturer, technical phone support (24/7) with certified and qualified representatives for assistance in technical support, remote services and diagnostic services and application hotline. The Contractor shall: a. Provide maintenance services for all subsystems of the FMRIF 3TD scanner in order to ensure operation of the scanner at maximum performance. This includes the scanner computer system, gradient and RF amplifiers, transmit and receiver subsystems, peripheral gating modules, shim power supplies, gradient and RF coils, magnet, cryogen monitoring and cryogen fills. b. Provide all replacement parts as required on an exchange refurbished or new part basis in order to maintain the equipment at Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's) specifications. c. Provide technical support and remote diagnostics 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. This telephone support shall be available within 30 minutes of the NIH placing a service call request. d. Accept service call requests from a centralized call for all issues on the FMRIF 3TD scanner and when needed, respond to those calls with onsite service from 12 noon - 10 p.m. Monday-Friday with a certified Siemens trained service engineer to assure efficient service of the scanner. e. Provide on-call backup service engineer when the on-site service engineer is not available (e.g. holidays, vacations, illness, and training periods). The on-call backup service engineer shall be on the site within four hours of the NIH placing a telephone service call request. f. Perform regular scheduled preventative maintenance inspections and adjustments as specified by the manufacturer for all subsystems of the scanner. Scheduled maintenance shall be performed at a mutually agreed upon time (usually 5:00 PM through 12:00 AM local prevailing time, Monday through Friday). g. Provide a daily check of the system error logs. h. Provide all necessary documentation, repair parts, spare parts, accessories, maintenance supplies, all special tools, test and support equipment, travel and transportation, personnel skill requirements, and other related services required in performance of maintenance tasks to keep the equipment in good operating condition i. Be an authorized service provider by the manufacturer to perform the services and shall provide a copy of its authorized service agreement or certification. j. Perform hardware and software modifications to the FMRIF 3TD scanner as required to support on-going research and development on the scanner. k. Enable installation of development/prototype pulse sequence, reconstruction, and other MRI related research packages on the system. l. Provide support for prototype and developmental software packages from Siemens and other research sites with similar equipment. m. Provide guidance and support for customer-made modifications to the hardware and software on this scanner, to support on-going science and clinical research. n. Have staff with the expertise and experience in supporting MRI scanners in a research environment, and also with experience supporting customer made modifications to the hardware and software on such equipment. Provide service and performance reports after regularly scheduled maintenance visits electronically via email to FMRIF staff on monthly basis, or as needed. Anticipated period of performance: Base 09/26/24 to 09/25/25 Option 1 - 09/26/25 to 09/25/26 Option 2 - 09/26/26 to 09/25/27 Option 3 - 09/26/27 to 09/25/28 Option 4 - 09/26/28 to 09/25/29 Capability statement /information sought. Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the equipment specified in this notice. The respondent must also provide their UEI 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 information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the service requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. The response must include the respondents technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Claudia Ventola, Contract Specialist at email address claudia.ventola@nih.gov The response must be received on or before March 21, 2024, 2:00 PM Eastern Time. 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 presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov. 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).