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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF AUGUST 01, 2014 FBO #4633
SOLICITATION NOTICE

66 -- Hardware and Software Upgrades for 9.4T Animal MRI Scanner

Notice Date

7/30/2014
 

Notice Type

Presolicitation
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
 

ZIP Code

20892
 

Solicitation Number

HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-NOI-14-520
 

Archive Date

8/23/2014
 

Point of Contact

Lauren M. Phelps, Phone: 3015942490
 

E-Mail Address

lauren.phelps@nih.gov
(lauren.phelps@nih.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

INTRODUCTION This is a pre-solicitation non-competitive (notice of intent) synopsis to award a contract without providing for full or open competition (including brand-name). THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Consolidated Station Support and Simplified Acquisitions (CSS/SA) Branch intends to negotiate and award a contract to Bruker BioSpin Corporation for Hardware and Software Upgrades to an owned 9.4T Animal MRI Scanner without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name). NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 334516 with a Size Standard of 500 Employees. REGULATORY AUTHORITY The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-76 dated July 25, 2014. This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13.5-Test Program for Certain Commercial Items and FAR subpart 12-Acquisition of Commercial Items at an amount exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($150,000) and not exceeding $6.5 million. STATUTORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1901 as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT Background The NIDA IRP owns a Bruker BioSpin Corporation 9.4T Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner. The scanner is currently equipped with Bruker AVANCE-I hardware and Bruker Paravision 5 imaging software, however this equipment is no longer up to date for current research technologies. The MRI Scanner requires Bruker AVANCE-III hardware and Bruker Paravision 6 software to once again be fully functional for quality research. For continuity of research, it is imperative that an upgrade be acquired to ensure integrity of research data. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this requirement is acquisition of hardware and software upgrades in support of a Bruker BioSpin 9.4T Animal MRI Scanner (Serial No. BT000503) owned by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP). Only an upgrade of the current equipment is acceptable to ensure continuity of science and integrity of research data. These upgrades are imperative for the continuation of longitudinal research studies. Project Description The Contractor must be able to provide the following hardware and software upgrades for a Bruker BioSpin 9.4T Animal MRI Scanner (Serial No. BT000503): 1) AVANCE III Console Upgrade a) Multiple RF Transmitter Channels i) Avance III RF/Data cabinet with electronics including two RF transmitter channels for MR signal excitation or hetero-nuclear experiments. Every transmit channel shall be controlled completely independently from the other. The electronics upgrade must include two digital RF signal generation units with fully digital frequency and waveform control b) RF Receiver Channel i) One RF receiver channel for MRI signal detection including broadband receiver (1H, X) with integrated AD converter, digital filter, expandable for parallel receiver configuration, HPPR/2 preamplifier c) Automatic Hardware Recognition i) The MR instrument must be equipped with an automatic hardware recognition system for basic system components such as amplifiers, gradient/shims, and RF coils. The plug recognition system provides automatic execution of set up and adjustment procedures under computer control d) Trigger Channel i) Real time input and output channels for the user control of external devices or triggered data acquisition by external sources, e.g. respiration or ECG. The trigger channel must have four output lines and two input lines e) RF Amplifier Interface Module i) The RF amplifier interface module must support connection of two RF amplifiers. f) Workstation i) The MR instrument shall be controlled by ParaVision on a Linux workstation. The MR workstation shall have 4GB RAM and a 500GB hard Disk as well as a PC mouse and keyboard and a 24 inch color flat panel monitor g) Gradient Amplifer Cabinet i) A gradient amplifier cabinet shall be set up including a basic cabinet including housing, line distribution, and wiring, a gradient and shim control unit, and a gradient and shim interface. The NIDA IRP has a gradient power supply, 3 gradient modules for X, y, and Z gradients, and a shim amplifier which may be reused as part of the amplifier cabinet requirement. h) Upgrade to ParaVision 6: Acquisition Workplace Including Computer i) The existing licenses of ParaVision acquisition workplace shall be upgraded to corresponding ParaVision 6.0 licenses, including a new and preconfigured computer and monitor. The computer hardware must include 64 bit Linux multicore workstation, 16 GB RAM, 1TB hard disk, and a full HD monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The software must include upgrade of all existing Para Vision and TopSpin licenses to corresponding ParaVision 6 software features and its application packages. i) Magnet Interface Panel (CCM Lite) i) The panel shall define interface connections for gradient and shim coil as well as RF coils. The panel shall be attached to the rear of the magnet. 4 RF coil sockets with automatic RF coil detection shall be included, as well as quick swap gradient/shim power connectors with automatic gradient/shim coil detection. j) RF Quadrature Combiner i) Active quadrature combiner for a maximal input power of 1kW k) RF Tune/Match Adapter i) The tune and match adapter shall provide tune and match capabilities for circularly polarized MRI coils without integrated preamplifier l) External Cable Set: Electronic Cabinet to RF Filter Plate or Faraday Enclosure i) Shall cover the external cabling between the electronic cabinet and Faraday enclosure attached to the rear of the magnet for installations without Faraday cage. In case of an installation with a Faraday cage, the cable shall extend from the electronic cabinets to the filter plate. The following is required: MT0320: 06m cable length, MT0321 10m cable length, MT0322 14m cable length, MT0323: 18m cable length. m) RF Filter Plate i) RF filter plate for already existing Faraday cage. The cable length shall be defined between the filter plate and aFaraday enclosure n) RF Interface Adapter i) The adapter shall support the following socket types: N-type connector for 1H, X high power transmit/receive coils, TWINAX connector providing the pin diode voltage for active coil decoupling, BNC type connector for 1H, X low power transmit/receive coils, 14 pin DIN-type connector for receive only surface coils, 4 RF pin/14 DC pin connector for 4 channel receive-only array coils. o) 60Hz Power Frequency p) Documentation and Installation of components q) 1H/19F Rat Head/Mouse Body Volume Coil - 40 mm i) Double resonant volume MRI RF coil designed for X nuclei investigation of the head of a rat or for investigations of the mouse body. Shall be designed for use in BGA-9S or bigger gradient sets. 1H linearly polarized, 19F linearly polarized, transmit/receive capabilities, outer/inner diameter for 75mm/40mm. The MRI RF coil must fit the following animal cradles: rat head, 40 m and Mouse Body, 40 mm. 2) Ancillary Upgrade for Biospec System BT000503 a) Parallel Receiver Upgrade (I): 1 to 4 Channels i) A fully equipped parallel proton-receiver configuration shall allow the application of 1H parallel imaging methods. The upgrade must include three additional 1H -only receiver channels for a total of 4 channels and ParaVision parallel imaging package for GRAPPA based image reconstruction b) Shim Amplifier i) The shim amplifier must have 8 channels and accept a maximum current of 5A c) Gradient/Shim Insert BGA-12S HP i) Gradient/shim inserts shall allow the optimization of the gradient/shim performance for smaller sample sizes and provide a higher level of spatial resolution. The inserts shall be designed to be quickly mounted inside the main system gradient and shim set. As soon as a gradient/shim insert is connected to the instrument, all protocol imaging and safety parameters shall be updated automatically. The insert must include actively shielded gradient and shim set BGA-12S-HP. d) Gradient/Shim Cooling DLHE i) Shall provide cooling for high duty cycle gradients and Cryohech. e) Transmit/Receive Volume Coil for Mice and Rates - 86 mm i) This volume coil shall be optimized for cross coil setups, i.e. for use as a transmit RF coil in combination with receive-only surface coils and arrays. The coil must also be able to be used as a receive volume coil. Must be capable of examining small rodents up to 650 g body weight. Shall be designed for use in B-GA12S or bigger gradient coils. 1H transmit and receive capabilities with active coil detuning, circularly polarized, outer/inner diameter 112 mm/86 mm f) Mouse Brain Surface Coil i) Anatomically shaped mouse brain surface coil: 1H circularly polarized, receive-only capabilities. g) Mouse Brain Array Coil i) Anatomically shaped 4 element mouse brain array coil: 1H 2x2 coil element topology with receive only capabilities h) Rat Brain Array Coil i) Anatomically shaped 4 element rat brain surface coil with 1H 2x2 coil element topology, receive only capabilities i) Low Noise Preamplifier for Planar Surface Coils i) The preamplifier is to be mounted on a split cradle and shall be designed for use in B-GA9S or bigger gradient coils. j) Mutli-Purpose Planar Surface Coil - 10 mm i) 1H receive-only surface coil with 1H receive only capabilities with active coil detuning, single loop coil with flexible cable, diameter 10 mm, pre-tuned/pre-matched. k) MultiPurpose Planar Surface Coil - 20 mm i) 1H receive-only surface coil with 1H receive only capabilities with active coil detuning, single loop coil with flexible cable, diameter 10 mm, pre-tuned/pre-matched. l) Cradle Base for Mouse Application Tips i) Basic cradle unit for mouse applications, to be combined with cradle tips. The base must include water hoses for body temperature control m) Mouse Tip for Surface Coil Applications n) Cradle Base for Rat Application Tips o) Rat Tip for Surface Coil and Body Applications p) Autopac Adapter for Existing Slider Table q) ParaVision Susceptibility Weighted Imaging Package i) The magnitude and phase data shall be combined to produce an enhanced contrast magnitude image which is sensitive to venous blood, hemorrhage and iron storage. r) ParaVision Spiral Imaging Pacakage i) Non-Cartesian acquisition for EPI based sequences Period of Performance It is expected that delivery will be completed within ten (10) months after receipt of order. A firm fixed price contract is contemplated. CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted. Specifically, only Bruker BioSpin Corporation (Bruker) is capable of meeting the needs of this upgrade requirement because Bruker is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the 9.4T/30cm Animal MRI Scanner requiring updates and this equipment is proprietary to the OEM. No other contractor is capable of or authorized to provide upgrade services to this equipment. Due to the proprietary nature of the Bruker 9.4T/30cm Animal MRI Scanner, use of any other contractor's software or hardware for upgrade purposes is impossible as it would result in upgrade failure and might jeopardize the integrity of the owned equipment. Such an attempt would also negate any equipment warranties remaining for the MRI Scanner. Furthermore, non-functional upgrades and possible damage to the owned equipment would be critically detrimental to the NIDA IRP Neuroimaging Research Branch studies. These things together would be catastrophic to the integrity of the NIDA IRP's ongoing scientific research. Only an upgrade to the presently owned equipment is acceptable to ensure continuity of scientific research. The NIDA IRP conducts a number of state of the art longitudinal studies that utilize significant quantities of data acquired from the owned Bruker Animal MRI Scanner and these studies now require additional MRI technology for continuation. The data already acquired using the owned MRI scanner is highly sensitive to the proprietary parts and software of the OEM-proprietary equipment. Accordingly, no technology other than an upgrade to the existing system will allow the already-acquired research data to continue to be viable and relevant to new data and use of any other equipment would invalidate the efforts of the NIDA IRP's ongoing longitudinal studies. Extensive market research was conducted to reach the determination that only Bruker BioSpin Corporation is capable of providing the required upgrades. Specifically, a large business sources sought notice and a small business sources sought notice were posted to FedBizOpps referencing the above detailed upgrade requirements and no responses were received. Additionally, a review of both the GSA Advantage and Dynamic Small Business Search tool vendors returned no results relevant to the require upgrades. In summary, it is critical for the continuity of scientific research that the current MRI Scanner equipment be upgraded and only Bruker BioSpin Corporation can provide the required software and hardware upgrades as the current equipment is proprietary to that company. The intended source is: Bruker BioSpin Corporation 15 Fortune Drive Billerica, MA 01821-3991 CLOSING STATEMENT THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov." 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. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number. Responses may be submitted electronically to Lauren Phelps, Contract Specialist, at lauren.phelps@nih.gov. US Mail and Fax responses will not be accepted. "All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency."
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIDA-2/HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-NOI-14-520/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States

Zip Code: 21224
 

Record

SN03443560-W 20140801/140730235540-2443341027c5055341ed712df8194bf4 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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