SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Notice of Intent for ACTUITYnano, LLC
- Notice Date
- 4/9/2014
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical 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-CSB-(EB)-2014-73-JES
- Archive Date
- 5/10/2014
- Point of Contact
- Nora I Rivera, Phone: (301) 435-0712, Jennifer Swift, Phone: 3014350358
- E-Mail Address
-
nr85c@nih.gov, Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov
(nr85c@nih.gov, Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- INTRODUCTION This is a pre-solicitation / notice of intent synopsis for a sole source noncompetitive (including brand-name) award to ACUITYnano, LLC for equipment. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA) on behalf of the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), intends to award a fixed price purchase order on a sole source, noncompetitive basis for the development of a microfluidics device for use in dual-view selective plane illumination microscopy, for long term studies of C. elegans development to ACUITYnano, LLC, 10300 Strathmore Hall Street 405, Rockville, Maryland 20852. BACKGROUND The mission of the intramural program of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the NIH is to improve human health by providing leadership for development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating engineering and physical sciences with the life sciences to advance basic research and medical care. The Intramural Research Program plays a key role in fulfilling the Institute's mission, particularly to advance knowledge in imaging and bioengineering research using a combination of basic, translational, and clinical science and to develop effective training programs in related fields. The Section on High Resolution Optical Imaging at NIBIB, invents new forms of microscopy with better spatial and temporal resolution than is otherwise available. Another priority of the lab is to build microscopes that are gentle and do not otherwise perturb delicate, live biological specimens such as cells and embryos. The lab has developed a dual-view selective plane illumination microscope (diSPIM) for imaging live specimens, such as the nematode C. elegans, over long periods, at high spatial resolution (330 nm in all 3 dimensions), and with high time resolution, as documented in the recent paper, Wu et al. Nat. Biotechnology, doi: 10.1038/nbt.2713. Although diSPIM is a powerful imaging technique, it suffers from one serious drawback: the sample must be ‘open' to the environment, i.e. it requires the use of an imaging chamber without a top. It is therefore impossible to immobilize live specimens in the same manner that a conventional microscope does, i.e with a conventional microfluidics chip. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance for this order will be for 24 weeks starting within 1 week of contract award. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Objective1: Demonstrate Proof-of-Principle Contractor will build a C. elegans immobilization device, using a design provided by the Government, that is compatible with dual view plane illumination microscopy, and demonstrate its capability to reliably immobilize adult C. elegans. Milestone 1: Build prototype for dual view plane illumination microscopy(diSPIM). Milestone 2: NIBIB's lab will validate the fabricated device by using it in conjunction with an existing NIBIB (diSPIM) microscope to generate volumetric images of an immobilized adult C. elegans. Demonstrate animal viability by conventional motion inspection to verify normal movement, feeding, and behavior after trapping. Objective2: Refine and automate immobilization process The contractor will refine and automate the immobilization mechanism, and demonstrate its capability to repeatedly immobilize a single mature C. elegans over an extended period of time. This system will include capabilities to feed the worm and control water levels in the imaging area. Milestone 3: Reliably immobilize a single C. elegans every 5 minutes, over a total imaging period of 4 days. JUSTIFICATION The sole-single source (including brand-name) justification is as follows: The unique sample mounting requirements of diSPIM demands a custom microfluidic solution that must be designed and tested. ACUITYnano is the only source available that can satisfy these requirements, due to: a) Their proximity. ACUITYnano is based close to the NIH and is in an ideal position to closely collaborate with the NIBIB lab. The proximity will help in troubleshooting and testing various design phases that are explained in the attached documents. b) ACUITYnano possesses unique expertise in microfluidic technology, including previous development and commercialization of microfluidics based technologies for gentle manipulation and sorting of live biological cells and invertebrates (e.g., C. elegans) for basic research and drug discovery. REGULATORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c) as set forth in FAR Part 13.106-1 (b) (1), Soliciting from a single source not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6, Competition Requirements. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541990 and the Size Standard is $14 Million. The determination by the Government to award a purchase order on a sole source noncompetitive basis for the development of a microfluidics devices for use in dual-view selective plane illumination microscopy, for long term studies of C. elegans development to ACUITYnano, LLC, 10300 Strathmore Hall Street 405, Rockville, Maryland 20852., is based upon the market research conducted in accordance with one or more of the techniques specified in FAR Part 10-Market Research, Subpart 10.002(b)(2). All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency, in writing, no later than April 25, 2014 at 3:00 pm EST. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient documentation to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement. All responses must reference this pre-solicitation / notice of Intent number NHLBI-CSB-(EB)-2014-73-JES and may be submitted electronically to Nora Rivera, Contracting Officer at nr85c@nih.gov and Jennifer Swift, Contracting Officer at Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/NHLBI-CSB-(EB)-2014-73-JES/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- Zip Code: 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN03334287-W 20140411/140410021402-5cbbffdd88d802a89e9cd1ddfbc9c653 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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