SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Engineering Services
- Notice Date
- 10/28/2010
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-PB-(HL)-2011-011-DDC
- Archive Date
- 11/18/2010
- Point of Contact
- Deborah - Coulter, Phone: (301) 435-0368
- E-Mail Address
-
dc143b@nih.gov
(dc143b@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate with Mr. Matthew Bakalar to assist in the engineering development of at least two additional projects with the Signal Processing and Instrumentation Section (SPIS): fluorescence photo activation localization microscopy (FPALM) analysis system and an image-based robotic targeting system to control micromanipulators for living biological tissues studies.. Background Information: NIH is a federation of Institutes and Centers (ICs), each with a congressionally mandated program of categorical biomedical research. NIH conducts its research activities through the combined mechanisms of an extramural program (research grants), a collaborative program (research contracts), and an intramural program that is an aggregate, on-campus program involving both clinical and laboratory-based research. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides global leadership for a research, training, and education program to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases and enhance the health of all individuals so that they can live longer and more fulfilling lives. The NHLBI stimulates basic discoveries about the causes of disease, enables the translation of basic discoveries into clinical practice, fosters training and mentoring of emerging scientists and physicians, and communicates research advances to the public. It creates and supports a robust, collaborative research infrastructure in partnership with private and public organizations, including academic institutions, industry, and other government agencies. The Institute collaborates with patients, families, health care professionals, scientists, professional societies, patient advocacy groups, community organizations, and the media to promote the application of research results and leverage resources to address public health needs. The NHLBI also collaborates with international organizations to help reduce the burden of heart, lung, and blood diseases worldwide. Purpose and Objectives: The Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics, Systems Biology Center, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, will design graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated image processing implementations and real-time motion tracking and robotic control algorithm (e.g. 3D volume, control feedback) developments, primarily to further advance the highly specialized TPEFM research methodology. Integration of many disparate software and hardware modules is essential, and requires advanced knowledge in C/C++, the nVidia CUDA The Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics, Systems Biology Center, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, will design graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated image processing implementations and real-time motion tracking and robotic control algorithm (e.g. 3D volume, control feedback) developments, primarily to further advance the highly specialized TPEFM research methodology. Integration of many disparate software and hardware modules is essential, and requires advanced knowledge in C/C++, the nVidia CUDA Required Specifications: In vivo microscopy seeks to observe dynamic subcellular processes in a physiologically relevant context. A primary limitation of optical microscopy in vivo is tissue motion, which prevents physiological time course observations or image averaging. The objective is to develop and demonstrate motion compensation methods that can automatically track image planes within biological tissues, including the tissue displacements associated with large changes in blood flow, and to evaluate the effect of global hypoxia on the regional kinetics and steady state levels of mitochondrial NAD(P)H. To this end, Mr. Bakalar will attempt to increase the robustness of tracking algorithms and the maximum possible tracking frequency. Contractor Requirements: The Contractor shall assist in the engineering development and integration of tissue motion tracking capabilities into a one-of-a-kind two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy (TPEFM) research system at the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). The high priority project requires the design and implementation of new methods that allow for the imaging of moving structures (e.g. living tissues) by compensation for motion as a function of time. An example IRP research application is the in vivo imaging of unclamped kidney tissue which is susceptible to changes in blood volume (i.e. active perfusion) and respiration, resulting in a corresponding fluctuation in tissue size and absolute location. Modifying a commercially available TPEFM system, the instrument will be compensating for tissue motion relative to the focal plane (Z axis, as well as X and Y) by developing new methodologies and corresponding algorithms to detect tissue boundaries, and controlling the microscope objective and stage to adjust for movement. This motion compensation function must be accomplished in real-time, and must not affect the normal imaging capabilities of the TPEFM system. The Contractor shall also assist in the engineering development of at least two additional SPIS projects: fluorescence photo activation localization microscopy (FPALM) analysis system and an image-base robotic targeting system to control micromanipulators for living biological tissue studies. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables: The Contractor is required to report the research findings and discuss it with the COTR on a daily basis. The Contractor will present findings during weekly lab meetings. Program Management and Control Requirements: The Contractor is expected to deliver findings in a timely fashion consistent with the specific tasks defined under “Contractor Requirements”. The Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) will keep abreast of the progress of the work to determine if the contract requirements are being fulfilled. Inspection and Acceptance Requirements: N/A Government Responsibilities: The government will provide on-site laboratory space; furnish all necessary laboratory computer hardware and all instruments necessary to allow the contractor to carry out the research. Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be from November 15, 2010 through November 14, 2011. The contractor shall work from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday; 40 hours per week. The contractor shall not work federal holidays or weekends. The estimated level effort for this requirement is not expected to exceed 2080 hours for twelve months. Services to be performed: 1.) Develop motion compensation system for in-vivo microscopy i) Finalize GPU correlation-based tracking software ii) Develop feature-based motion tracking algorithms to improve tracking frequency iii) Investigate accelerometer sensor for hardware based gross motion compensation iv) Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals. 2) Develop segmentation algorithms for creating vascular maps from large 3D datasets acquired with two-photon fluorescence microscope i) Evaluate existing approaches for extracting connected graphs from 3D volume data ii) Develop prototype software in matlab to process previously acquired data iii) Work with microcirculation researchers to tune algorithms and interpret results Location of Work: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics, within the Systems Biology Center, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room B1D511, Bethesda, MD 20892-1061. The reference number for this notice is NHLBI-PB-(HL)-2011-011-DDC The resultant acquisition will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13, simplified acquisition procedures and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-45 ( October 1,2010). The total estimated amount of this contract is NOT expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000.00. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System code 541330, with size standard of $4.5 million. The sole source basis is determined based on Mr. Bakalar knowledge, experience, and skills needed in developing high performance algorithms for graphics processing hardware and has specialized knowledge of adaptive control systems, a field the laboratory will be exploring for potential solutions. Mr. Bakalar has the experience, expertise, and qualifications to develop custom solutions to sensing and imaging challenges in biological research. Mr. Bakalar has acquired the knowledge and skills needed for the project at hand. The project requires engineering design of graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated image processing implementations and real-time motion tracking and robotic control algorithm (e.g. 3D volume, control feedback) developments, primarily to further advance the highly specialized TPEFM research methodology. Integration of many disparate software and hardware modules is essential, and requires advanced knowledge in C/C++, the nVidia CUDA version of C, Java, Python, MATLAB, and LabVIEW. The tasks also require extensive hands-on experience working on the specific NIH custom TPEFM system requiring the new motion tracking capabilities for advanced in vivo tissue imaging. Direct experience with the custom NIH system is required because many of the evolving advanced algorithms and design concepts are mid-development; consequently the thorough and efficient completion of the developments is dependent on seamless continued implementation, evaluation, and extensive optimization. Therefore, Mr. Bakalar, is the only logical choice based upon all critical factors (i.e. knowledge, skills abilities and experience. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis, by November 3, 2010, 7:30am Eastern Standard Time. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct future competitive procurements. Inquires to this announcement, referencing synopsis number NHLBI-PB-(HL)-2011-011-DDC, may be submitted to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, Procurement Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 6042, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902, Attention: Deborah Coulter. Response may be submitted electronically to coulterd@nhlbi.nih.gov. Faxes will not be accepted. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/NHLBI-PB-(HL)-2011-011-DDC/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: NIh, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- Zip Code: 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN02318304-W 20101030/101028233856-31c68b57c7c85c0d54d683f651861cdb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |