Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF JUNE 27, 2018 FBO #6060
DOCUMENT

65 -- LAb 43 Animal Research--Rat Place Preference and Multi-function System - Attachment

Notice Date

6/25/2018
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Southeast Louisiana Veterans HCS;1515 Poydras Street;New Orleans LA 70112
 

ZIP Code

70112
 

Solicitation Number

36C25618Q9548
 

Response Due

7/6/2018
 

Archive Date

10/4/2018
 

Point of Contact

Debra James
 

E-Mail Address

k
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

Lab 43 Animal Behavior Research Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System New Orleans, LA 70119 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 12.6) as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. No gray market items are allowed please submit your authorized distributor letter no pass throughs are allowed. Please submit a copy of the authorized distributor s letter from the manufacturer to verify that the vendor is an authorized distributor of the product/service they are providing. Solicitation number 36C25618Q9548 is issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-84. Offers are due no later than July 6, 2018 by 12:00 p.m., Central Local Time (CST), New Orleans, LA. This solicitation is set aside 100 % for Small Businesses. 1. Department of Veterans Affairs Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System (SLVHCS) is seeking a Small Business provide, transport, install, configure, and provide training for all listed equipment to the to the SLVHCS. This acquisition is Set Aside 100% Small Business. NOTE: All documentation submittal due times are Central local time (New Orleans, Louisiana). SECTION A. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO OFFERORS SECTION B STATEMENT OF WORK/ Price and Cost Schedule SECTION C CLAUSES/PROVISIONS SECTION D ATTACHMENT SECTION E EVALUATION FACTORS SECTION A SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO OFFERORS 2. The Statement of Work within this solicitation is a non-negotiable document. Offers/quotes shall not include edits, revisions, additions, deletions, alterations, or track change comments to the Statement of Work. 3. NAICS code is 334516. The small business size standard is 1000. 4. Contract Type and Period of Performance: Upon award, contract will be a Firm Fixed Price contract. The contract will consist of Contract Line Items (CLINs) for Lab 43 Animal Behavior to delivery, install and configure Rat Place preference and Multi-function System. Contractor shall deliver all equipment to the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) Central Energy Plant building 2400 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119 no later than July 30, 2018. Contractor shall install all equipment to manufacturer s specifications maintaining Federal, and Local safety standards. Installation must be completed by August 30, 2018. Please read the Statement of Work in its entirety and the price/cost schedule for the quantities. 5. Compensation for Services Rendered: Please include your pricing in the Price/Cost Schedule Section B. Quotes shall include a total Firm Fixed Price for CLIN 0001 thru CLIN 0004 per Section B.2, Price/Cost Schedule. 6. Invoicing Procedures: Offeror to submit invoices in arears after completion of all work and deliverables. Please see completed list of all items within the Price/Cost Schedule. See VAAR Clause 852.232-72, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests for invoicing procedures. 7. System for Award Management (Sam) Registration/Contractor Responsibility All Contractors are required to be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). (SAM Website: www.sam.gov). Registration in SAM is a requirement to do business with the Federal Government and registration in SAM shall be maintained throughout the performance of the contract. 8. Modifications: Contracting Officers within the networking contracting office issuing the contract, only, may issue modifications to the contract. Distribution will be made via email. No hard copies will be distributed. 9. Please note the requirements of FAR provision 52.212-3. Prospective Contractors shall complete electronic annual representations and certifications at www.sam.gov in conjunction with required registration in the SAM database. Representations & Certifications must be completed and/or updated by the date and time offers are due. 10. Working hours are between 08:00 am 04:30 pm, Monday through Friday. All federal holidays excluded. Any work outside of normal working hours must be pre-approved by the CO and COR. Federal holidays are available at the Federal Holiday OPM Site. 11. Proposal Total Firm Fixed Price: 12. Solicitation Questions The specific requirements for this solicitation are outlined in the Statement of Work. Questions concerning this solicitation shall be submitted in writing only. (Questions will not be answered or addressed telephonically). Questions shall be submitted via electronic mail (e-mail) to: debra.james3@va.gov. Questions will be accepted up to 4:00 p.m. (CST), July 2, 2018. All questions are to be written and sent via email debra.james3@va.gov and answers will be published via amendment FedBizOpps to the solicitation. 13. Amendments to Solicitation Amendments to this solicitation shall be posted on FedBizOpps only (Website (www.fbo.gov). It is the responsibility of the contractor to monitor any updates via www.fbo.gov for any amendments to this solicitation. All questions and answers will be published via an amendment. SECTION B 1 SOW Statement of Work SOW Lab 43 Animal Behavior Research Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System Research Service 11F New Orleans, LA 5/3/2018 1. PURPOSE 1.1 The overall purpose is to provide and configure equipment for the Veterinary Medical Unit at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) Research Building, P, 2400 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119.This equipment is requested to fulfill the Research mission. 2. SCOPE 2.1 The Contractor shall provide, transport, install, and configure all listed equipment. All products must meet all salient characteristics defined in this section. 2.2 All equipment and installation must meet manufacturers and VA specifications. 2.3 The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required for delivery and installation of the supplies and equipment. 2.4 The Contractor is responsible for any missing parts and components not included in order to carry out the installation. 2.5 SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS 2.5.1 Description: Rat Place Preference and Multifunction System Qty: 12 for rat ID#: Configured in Research building rooms: Brand Name/ Model: Noldus Multi-Function Chambers URL: http://www.noldus.com/animal-behavior-research Specifications/Salient Characteristics: Conditioned place preference (CPP) is a  widely used behavioral paradigm to assess the rewarding properties of psychotropic drugs. Repeated drug treatment is paired with a  distinct environment while a  control treatment is paired with a  different environment. When the animal has access to both environments, preference for the drug-paired cues will indicate the rewarding effects of the test drug. CPP and self-administration testing (described above) provide complementary tests that together can provide strong evidence with regard to whether a drug is likely to be abused. For the CPP testing apparatus, the equipment can and should allow configurations to accommodate several behavioral tests, providing an economic alternative to multiple single-purpose systems including configuring to a shuttle box, Light/Dark Box, fear conditioning chamber, and open field. Passive and active avoidance tests, such as the shuttle box, are used to assess fear-based conditioned avoidance learning as well as short and long-term learning in animals. In passive avoidance, the subjects behave contrary to their innate tendencies (e.g. preference of dark areas and avoidance of bright ones) in order to avoid a foot shock. Traditionally, passive avoidance tasks have been used to evaluate learning deficits induced by drug administration, lesions, and behavioral manipulations. In active avoidance, subjects learn to avoid an aversive stimulus by initiating a specific locomotor response through learning an association between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus (e.g. foot shock). Active avoidance has been used to study different pharmaceutical interventions on memory and deficits created by lesions. The Light/Dark Box is a task to assess anxiety behavior in rodents. Similar to passive avoidance, it is based on the fact that rodents are photophobic (i.e. prefer dark conditions to lit conditions) and have naturally occurring spontaneous exploratory behaviors in novel environments. The Light/Dark Box creates a conflict between the rodent s tendency to explore and its tendency to avoid new, well-lit areas, thereby creating anxiety for the animal. The degree of exploratory behavior (e.g. distance traveled in and duration spent in the lit area) is believed to reflect their anxiety levels such that the less anxious the animal, the more time they spend in the light compartment. This task is often used in studies of anxiolytic drugs and interventions. Fear conditioning is used to assess associative learning in rodents. In this form of learning, an aversive stimulus (e.g. an electrical shock) is associated with a particular neutral context (e.g., a room) or neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone), resulting in the expression of fear responses to the originally neutral stimulus or context through multiple pairings of the neutral stimulus with the aversive stimulus. Studies using fear conditioning examine the neural pathways of fear and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as pharmaceutical interventions to decrease phobias, anxiety and PTSD. The open field task, like the Light/Dark box, is based on the conflict between a rodent s natural aversion to open areas and its willingness to explore new areas. It is used to measure anxiety states, as well as locomotor and exploration activity. It is used in complement with other tasks such as the Light/Dark box, especially when examining treatment with anxiolytic and anxiogenic drugs. The open field box provides a novel area to explore and the animal s movement and behaviors are tracked. Within the open field chambers, novel object and novel place recognition tests can be conducted. These tasks examine recognition memory in rodents. In novel object recognition, the animal is exposed to an object during an initial familiarization session. In the following session, the animal is exposed to the same familiar object along with a novel object. The test looks at whether the animal remembers that familiar object as indicated by them spending more time exploring the new object. In novel place recognition, instead of the familiar object being replaced by a novel object, the location of one object is moved within the field, and the rodent s exploratory behavior toward the moved object is examined. TEST # BEHAVIORAL TESTS RESEARCH AREA 1 Conditioned Place Preference Motivational or aversive effects of objects/experiences 2 Light/Dark Box Testing Unconditioned anxiety 3 Shuttle Box Task Active and passive avoidance, Learning, Contextual memory 4 Fear Conditioning Classical conditioning, Learning, Fear expression 5 Open Field Testing Anxiety, Exploration, Locomotor activity levels 6 Novel Object Recognition Reference memory, Learning 7 Novel Place Recognition Reference memory, Learning Key features: Customized chambers for the rat and the mouse (similar to the picture below) able to convert between several tasks to increase their functionality and use by multiple researchers Conditioned Place Preference (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes will have three chambers with a choice of shock grid or solid floors, and wall inserts (can be used to test motivational or aversive effects of a context) Light/Dark Box Task (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes can convert to a two-chamber light/dark box with solid floors Shuttle Box Task (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes can convert to a two-chamber shuttle box with shock grid floors Fear Conditioning Chamber (total 24 for rat, 16 for mouse): boxes can be divided into two distinct boxes with shock grid floors to act as fear conditioning chambers Open Field Boxes (total 24 for rat, 16 for mouse): boxes can be divided into two distinct boxes with solid floors to act as open field boxes Chambers constructed of double-lined acrylic allowing wall inserts to be quickly changed (changing wall color) and easy disinfecting between subjects Chambers include two independent grid floors that allow for flexible adverse stimuli. Each Multi-functional chamber is enclosed in a sound-attenuating cubicle with a speaker (dimensions - Rat: 86x40x70 cm; Mouse: 48x30x60 cm). A camera and IR illuminator will be mounted to the ceiling of each cubicle. The camera includes an IR filter (for detection of IR light) so experiments in the cubicles can be conducted in dark conditions (common in fear conditioning protocols). Video cables for the chamber cameras and cabling for the components of the chambers to be controlled via tacking software (i.e. tone presentation, shock presentation) will terminate into designated computers. The chambers, in groups of four, will be integrated into a single workstation (3 stations for the rat chambers and 2 for the mouse chambers). The fully integrated software and hardware system will support automated hardware control, data acquisition, and analysis via video tracking which will be used for activity and behavioral testing in various paradigms with animal models. The software and hardware provided will be fully compatible, tested, and supported to ensure the standardization and consistency of data generated. The software will include template experiments for quick setup. Software will operate as a digital video recorder while also tracking live, and will be able to conduct offline tracking as well. The software functionality can automatically (automatic detection settings supplied by software) and accurately detect multiple body points including the animal nose, tail, and center body point, detect freezing behavior, and assess body shape and exploration. The software will be able to simultaneously record, track, and detect animal behavior changes in user-identified arenas (up to 100 arenas) and from multiple camera inputs simultaneously. Software contains the ability to define up to 10,000 regions of interest including arenas, zones, cumulative zones, hidden zones, zone groups, threshold zones, and points of interest. The software will possess comprehensive data selection and analysis features, as well as visualizations, graphing functions, and easy export of raw and analyzed data into MS Excel or.txt format. Analysis will include the following selection tools, parameters, statistics, and visualizations: Selection Tools: Filtering, Nesting, Interval selection, Time bins, Results per zone. Parameters: Velocity, distance moved, in zone, distance to zone, distance to point, zone transitions, zone alternations, target visits and errors, heading to point, heading, turn angle (relative, absolute), angular velocity (relative, absolute), meander, movement, mobility (continuous, state), activity (continuous, state), rotation, manual scoring (user-defined), head direction, body elongation (continuous, state), head directed to zone, body angle (continuous, state), trial control state, trial control event, hardware variables, and any user-defined independent variables (subject ID, sex, age, condition, experimental group, time point, etc.). Statistics: Frequency, latency to first, latency to last, total duration, variance, standard deviation, standard error, number, mean, maximum, minimum, sum, number of samples. Group mean with SD, group mean with SE, 5-number summary. Visualizations: Track plots, integrated/synchronized visualization of tracks with video and data, heatmap visual representation of animal distribution, graphs for groups and individuals. System will include on-site installation, integration and training from skilled staff with 10+ years of experience. 2.5.2 Description: Mouse Place Preference and Multifunction System Qty: 8 mouse ID#: Configured in Research building rooms: Brand Name/ Model: Noldus Multi-Function Chambers or Equivalent URL: http://www.noldus.com/animal-behavior-research Specifications/Salient Characteristics: Conditioned place preference (CPP) is a widely used behavioral paradigm to assess the rewarding properties of psychotropic drugs. Repeated drug treatment is paired with a distinct environment while a control treatment is paired with a different environment. When the animal has access to both environments, preference for the drug-paired cues will indicate the rewarding effects of the test drug. CPP and self-administration testing (described above) provide complementary tests that together can provide strong evidence with regard to whether a drug is likely to be abused. For the CPP testing apparatus, the equipment can and should allow configurations to accommodate several behavioral tests, providing an economic alternative to multiple single-purpose systems including configuring to a shuttle box, Light/Dark Box, fear conditioning chamber, and open field. Passive and active avoidance tests, such as the shuttle box, are used to assess fear-based conditioned avoidance learning as well as short and long-term learning in animals. In passive avoidance, the subjects behave contrary to their innate tendencies (e.g. preference of dark areas and avoidance of bright ones) in order to avoid a foot shock. Traditionally, passive avoidance tasks have been used to evaluate learning deficits induced by drug administration, lesions, and behavioral manipulations. In active avoidance, subjects learn to avoid an aversive stimulus by initiating a specific locomotor response through learning an association between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus (e.g. foot shock). Active avoidance has been used to study different pharmaceutical interventions on memory and deficits created by lesions. The Light/Dark Box is a task to assess anxiety behavior in rodents. Similar to passive avoidance, it is based on the fact that rodents are photophobic (i.e. prefer dark conditions to lit conditions) and have naturally occurring spontaneous exploratory behaviors in novel environments. The Light/Dark Box creates a conflict between the rodent s tendency to explore and its tendency to avoid new, well-lit areas, thereby creating anxiety for the animal. The degree of exploratory behavior (e.g. distance traveled in and duration spent in the lit area) is believed to reflect their anxiety levels such that the less anxious the animal, the more time they spend in the light compartment. This task is often used in studies of anxiolytic drugs and interventions. Fear conditioning is used to assess associative learning in rodents. In this form of learning, an aversive stimulus (e.g. an electrical shock) is associated with a particular neutral context (e.g., a room) or neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone), resulting in the expression of fear responses to the originally neutral stimulus or context through multiple pairings of the neutral stimulus with the aversive stimulus. Studies using fear conditioning examine the neural pathways of fear and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as pharmaceutical interventions to decrease phobias, anxiety and PTSD. The open field task, like the Light/Dark box, is based on the conflict between a rodent s natural aversion to open areas and its willingness to explore new areas. It is used to measure anxiety states, as well as locomotor and exploration activity. It is used in complement with other tasks such as the Light/Dark box, especially when examining treatment with anxiolytic and anxiogenic drugs. The open field box provides a novel area to explore and the animal s movement and behaviors are tracked. Within the open field chambers, novel object and novel place recognition tests can be conducted. These tasks examine recognition memory in rodents. In novel object recognition, the animal is exposed to an object during an initial familiarization session. In the following session, the animal is exposed to the same familiar object along with a novel object. The test looks at whether the animal remembers that familiar object as indicated by them spending more time exploring the new object. In novel place recognition, instead of the familiar object being replaced by a novel object, the location of one object is moved within the field, and the rodent s exploratory behavior toward the moved object is examined. TEST # BEHAVIORAL TESTS RESEARCH AREA 1 Conditioned Place Preference Motivational or aversive effects of objects/experiences 2 Light/Dark Box Testing Unconditioned anxiety 3 Shuttle Box Task Active and passive avoidance, Learning, Contextual memory 4 Fear Conditioning Classical conditioning, Learning, Fear expression 5 Open Field Testing Anxiety, Exploration, Locomotor activity levels 6 Novel Object Recognition Reference memory, Learning 7 Novel Place Recognition Reference memory, Learning Key features: Customized chambers for the rat and the mouse (similar to the picture below) able to convert between several tasks to increase their functionality and use by multiple researchers Conditioned Place Preference (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes will have three chambers with a choice of shock grid or solid floors, and wall inserts (can be used to test motivational or aversive effects of a context) Light/Dark Box Task (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes can convert to a two-chamber light/dark box with solid floors Shuttle Box Task (total 12 for rat, 8 for mouse): boxes can convert to a two-chamber shuttle box with shock grid floors Fear Conditioning Chamber (total 24 for rat, 16 for mouse): boxes can be divided into two distinct boxes with shock grid floors to act as fear conditioning chambers Open Field Boxes (total 24 for rat, 16 for mouse): boxes can be divided into two distinct boxes with solid floors to act as open field boxes Chambers constructed of double-lined acrylic allowing wall inserts to be quickly changed (changing wall color) and easy disinfecting between subjects Chambers include two independent grid floors that allow for flexible adverse stimuli. Each Multi-functional chamber is enclosed in a sound-attenuating cubicle with a speaker (dimensions - Rat: 86x40x70 cm; Mouse: 48x30x60 cm). A camera and IR illuminator will be mounted to the ceiling of each cubicle. The camera includes an IR filter (for detection of IR light) so experiments in the cubicles can be conducted in dark conditions (common in fear conditioning protocols). Video cables for the chamber cameras and cabling for the components of the chambers to be controlled via tacking software (i.e. tone presentation, shock presentation) will terminate into designated computers. The chambers, in groups of four, will be integrated into a single workstation (3 stations for the rat chambers and 2 for the mouse chambers). The fully integrated software and hardware system will support automated hardware control, data acquisition, and analysis via video tracking which will be used for activity and behavioral testing in various paradigms with animal models. The software and hardware provided will be fully compatible, tested, and supported to ensure the standardization and consistency of data generated. The software will include template experiments for quick setup. Software will operate as a digital video recorder while also tracking live, and will be able to conduct offline tracking as well. The software functionality can automatically (automatic detection settings supplied by software) and accurately detect multiple body points including the animal nose, tail, and center body point, detect freezing behavior, and assess body shape and exploration. The software will be able to simultaneously record, track, and detect animal behavior changes in user-identified arenas (up to 100 arenas) and from multiple camera inputs simultaneously. Software contains the ability to define up to 10,000 regions of interest including arenas, zones, cumulative zones, hidden zones, zone groups, threshold zones, and points of interest. The software will possess comprehensive data selection and analysis features, as well as visualizations, graphing functions, and easy export of raw and analyzed data into MS Excel or.txt format. Analysis will include the following selection tools, parameters, statistics, and visualizations: Selection Tools: Filtering, Nesting, Interval selection, Time bins, Results per zone. Parameters: Velocity, distance moved, in zone, distance to zone, distance to point, zone transitions, zone alternations, target visits and errors, heading to point, heading, turn angle (relative, absolute), angular velocity (relative, absolute), meander, movement, mobility (continuous, state), activity (continuous, state), rotation, manual scoring (user-defined), head direction, body elongation (continuous, state), head directed to zone, body angle (continuous, state), trial control state, trial control event, hardware variables, and any user-defined independent variables (subject ID, sex, age, condition, experimental group, time point, etc.). Statistics: Frequency, latency to first, latency to last, total duration, variance, standard deviation, standard error, number, mean, maximum, minimum, sum, number of samples. Group mean with SD, group mean with SE, 5-number summary. Visualizations: Track plots, integrated/synchronized visualization of tracks with video and data, heatmap visual representation of animal distribution, graphs for groups and individuals. System will include on-site installation, integration and training. 2.5.3 Description: Mechanical Conflict Avoidance Qty: 2 ID#: Configured in Research building rooms: Brand Name/ Model: Noldus or Equivalent URL: http://www.noldus.com/animal-behavior-research/products/mechanical-conflict-avoidance-system Specifications/Salient Characteristics: The MCA Method provides an operant method of pain testing with rodents that complements reflexive methods by addressing cognitive and motivational processing. In contrast to other operant pain tests, escape behavior in the Coy-MCS is motivated not by a noxious stimulation, but instead by a non-noxious averse stimulus: bright light. Rodents are placed on one side of a height-adjustable array of nociceptive probes and given the opportunity to cross the array to escape from an aversive lighted area to a preferred dark area. The array consists of blunt tapered probes that are painful but not sharp enough to cause any tissue damage when walked on by the rodent (these probes are analogues to noxious mechanical stimuli that rodents encounter in the wild).  For animals with no or mild ongoing pain, the evoked noxious stimulation of crossing the probes may be worth the reward of darkness, whereas animals in severe pain may decide that the cost of crossing the probes is too high and thus remain in the light. Measured responses include: number of complete crosses, time to exit the light chamber (latency to leave), and time to cross the probes. These probes are analogous to noxious mechanical stimuli that rodents encounter in the wild. Pictorial depiction of the testing protocol. First, the rodent is exposed to bright light for the start box for a determined period. After the delay, the chamber door is opened and the rodent can escape the light and take refuge in the dark chamber located on the other side of the device by crossing the bed of nociceptive probes. Key features: Easy to disassemble/reassemble for transport and cleaning Constructed of high-quality acrylic for easy and effective disinfection between subjects and durability Red acrylic coloration enables researcher observation while rats perceive it as black/dark Compact unit (87.3 cm x 21 cm x 43.2 cm) so multiple units can fit in one lab space Lightweight for easy transportation (~30 lbs.) Probe heights are easily adjustable to six heights (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mm) - significant stimulus response relationships have been observed between probe height and these measured responses Adaptable to other noxious stimuli beyond mechanical and light Training is fast and simple since it leverages the rodent s innate aversion to light (photophobia) and preference toward dark, enclosed spaces. Trials are quickly conducted the average trial is about 60 seconds, significantly faster than other operant methods Spontaneous pain behaviors (e.g. guarding, paw licking, etc.) may also be observed and recorded. Chamber can accommodate addition protocols to examine additional motivational stimulus for example, instead of using a noxious stimuli to motivate crossing, food or drug incentives located in the opposite chamber could be presented to promote crossing 2.5.4 Description: Behavioral Monitoring System Qty: 1 ID#: Configured in Research building rooms: Brand Name/ Model: Noldus EthoVision Behavior or Equivalent URL: http://www.noldus.com/animal-behavior-research Specifications/Salient Characteristics: The behavioral monitoring system will allow multiple researchers from a wide variety of research areas to quantify the effects of their experimental procedures and conditions on learning, memory, anxiety, depression, exploration, social behavior, an array of other behaviors. These should include the following: TEST # BEHAVIORAL TESTS RESEARCH AREA 1 Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze Spatial learning, Spatial memory 2 Automated Y-Maze Learning, Memory, Spontaneous alternations 3 Automated T-Maze Learning, Memory, Spontaneous alternations 4 Open Field Anxiety, Exploration 5 Novel Object Recognition Recognition memory 6 Additional Maze Tasks Learning, memory 7 Social Interaction Social, Sexual and Aggressive Behavior 8 Automated Rodent Behavior Recognition Grooming, Rearing, etc. Key features: Customized and fully automated 8-arm radial maze (one for the rat and one for the mouse), with pellet dispensers and receptacles, pneumatic guillotine doors, and converter pieces to change the center choice-chamber into a T or Y maze. Maze doors and pellet dispensers are controlled remotely via tracking software. Mazes are constructed of high-quality acrylic for easy and effective disinfection between subjects. Cameras will be mounted on a horizontal mounting rod between opposite walls above the mazes (the radial mazes and any additional mazes present in the core). These mounting rods allow for easy repositioning of location and height of the camera and do not require drilling. Automated mazes will be connected to a designated computer on a mobile cart. These mobile carts can be moved to be locked away or to accommodate the varying sizes of different mazes. The software must be suited for everything from straightforward tests to high-throughput research, to sophisticated protocols including external equipment control, synchronization, and automation. The entire package must contain at least four (4) comprehensive and mobile software/hardware packages (including computers, cameras, mounts, and mobile carts) for simultaneous, independent data collection and processing. The system should be completely flexible, capable of tracking rodents and many other species, supporting a modular design in order to incorporate additional competencies as needed by user and as needed over time. The same system must work with: Water Maze, Open Field, Plus Maze, T Maze, Zero Maze, Radial Arm Maze, Novel Object, Forced Swim, Fear Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, Home Cage Assessment, CPP, Barnes Maze, Sociability, Social Interaction, and able to integrate with external hardware such as lights, shock generators, sounds, Optogenetics, Physiology, and imaging. Software is able to accommodate live tracking and operate as a digital video recorder during tracking. The software can operate in normal and infrared light from above and while using backlighting. The software can be installed on multiple computers and post-tracking data analysis can be conducted without the need for a USB hardware key, meaning researchers have increased access to hardware keys. Software license is perpetual. Software can track and analyze behavior using several object detection methods including grey scaling, differencing, and static and dynamic subtraction. Nose-center-tailbase tracking is an included option for either shape-based, model-based, or advanced-model based detection methods. Image filters such as erosion and dilation is present to allow for adjustment of the digitized image of the animal detected during the tracking process to avoid accidental mix-up of the object with background noise and to improve body shape-related parameters. The software is able to simultaneously record, track, and detect animal behavior changes in user-identified arenas (up to 100 arenas) and from multiple camera inputs simultaneously. Software includes the ability to define up to 10,000 regions of interest including arenas, zones, cumulative zones, hidden zones, zone groups, threshold zones, and points of interest. Software can automatically detect 10 common behaviors in the mouse and in the rat. In addition to the automatic behavior recognition, the software includes the ability to manually code user-specified behaviors either during tracking or post-tracking from video replay. Software contains functionality for tracking multiple marked or unmarked animals in a single arena at once (up to 16) allowing researchers to examine social behaviors. Software is capable of batch processing video files, batch acquisition through trial planning, and batch analysis in order to increase data collection and analysis efficiency. Software has track editing functions to find and correct errors in individual tracks or all tracks in a single trial including automated interpolation of missing samples and automated correction for nose-tail coordinate swaps. The software will possess comprehensive data selection and analysis features, as well as visualizations, graphing functions, and easy export of raw and analyzed data into MS Excel or.txt format. Analysis will include the following selection tools, parameters, statistics, and visualizations: Selection Tools: Filtering, Nesting, Interval selection, Time bins, Results per zone. Parameters: Movement: velocity, distance moved, movement, acceleration, acceleration states Location: in zone, distance to point, distance to zone Path: meander, zone transitions, zone alternations, target visits and errors Direction: heading to point, heading, turn angle (relative, absolute), angular velocity (relative, absolute), head direction, head directed to zone Body: mobility, mobility state, rotation, body elongation, body elongation state, body angle, body angle state Social: distance between, proximity, body contact, relative movement, net weighted movement, weighted movement from, weighted movement to Trial Control: trial control event, trial control state Miscellaneous: free interval Any user-defined independent variables (subject ID, sex, age, condition, experimental group, time point, etc.) or manually scored behavior Statistics: Frequency, latency to first, latency to last, total duration, variance, standard deviation, standard error, number, mean, maximum, minimum, sum, number of samples. Group mean with SD, group mean with SE, 5-number summary. Visualizations: Track plots, integrated/synchronized visualization of tracks with video and data, heatmap visual representation of animal distribution, graphs for groups and individuals. System will include on-site installation, integration and training 2.7 DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION 2.7.1 DELIVERY 2.7.1.1 Contractor shall deliver all equipment to the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS), Research Building, P, 2400 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119 beginning on July 30, 2018. 2.7.1.2 Deliver materials to job in manufacturer's original sealed containers with brand name marked thereon. 2.7.1.3 Package to prevent damage or deterioration during shipment, handling, storage and installation. Maintain protective covering in place and in good repair until removal is necessary. 2.7.1.4 Deliver specified items only when the site is ready for installation work to proceed. 2.7.1.5 Store products in dry condition inside enclosed facilities. 2.7.1.6 Any government requested delayed delivery up to 90 days after initial award delivery date, shall be at no additional cost to the Government. 2.7.1.7 A pre-delivery meeting will be conducted 60 days prior to initial award delivery date for verification of delivery and installation dates. 2.7.1.8 Delivery and Installation will be coordinated through the COR. 2.7.2 CONFIGURATION 2.7.2.1 All equipment shall be floor mounted by contractor upon delivery unless otherwise noted above. 2.7.2.2 Install/Configure all equipment to manufacturer s specifications maintaining Federal, and Local safety standards 2.7.2.3 Installation/Configuration must be completed by August 30, 2018. All work shall be completed between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday Friday. All federal holidays, excluded. Federal holidays are available at the Federal Holiday OPM Site. 2.7.2.4 If there is an operational conflict with installation, night or weekend installation may be required. Government will provide a 72 hours' notice of change of installation hours. 2.7.2.5 The contractor shall coordinate all deliveries, staging areas, installations, and parking arrangements with the COR. 2.7.2.6 The Contractor shall remove all related shipping debris and cleanup any construction associated with delivery and installation of the specified items. Contractor shall remove all packaging from the SLVHCS premises. The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to the building that occurs due to Contractor error or neglect. 2.8 SITE CONDITIONS 2.8.1 There shall be no smoking, eating, or drinking inside the hospital at any time. 3. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE: 3.1 The Contractor shall conduct a joint inspection with the COR upon delivery of equipment. 3.2 Contractor shall provide dates of completion of punch list items and replacement parts and/or short ship items from the manufacturer(s). 3.3 The COR shall ensure all work is completed satisfactorily prior to acceptance. Disputes shall be resolved by the Contracting Officer. 4. DELIVERABLES 4.1 Operation and Maintenance Manuals 4.1.1 Binders - Quantity (1) set for each line item 4.1.2 Digital Copies- Quantity (1) each for item 4.2 Deliver compilation of all manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule and operation materials packaged in binder(s) to COR upon completion of installation. 5. OPERATOR TRAINING: 5.1 Contractor shall provide On-site training of the equipment to the Users. Scheduling of operator training shall be coordinated with the SLVHCS COR after installation is complete. 6. PROTECTION OF PROPERTY 6.1 Contractor shall protect all items from damage. The Contractor shall take precaution against damage to the building(s), grounds and furnishings. The Contractor shall repair or replace any items related to building(s) or grounds damaged accidentally or on purpose due to actions by the Contractor. 6.2 The Contractor shall perform an inspection of the building(s) and grounds with the COR prior to commencing work. To insure that the Contractor shall be able to repair or replace any items, components, building(s) or grounds damaged due to negligence and/or actions taken by the Contractor. The source of all repairs beyond simple surface cleaning is the facility construction contractor (or appropriate subcontractor), so that building warranty is maintained. Concurrence from the VA Facilities Management POC and COR is required before the Contractor may perform any significant repair work. In all cases, repairs shall utilize materials of the same quality, size, texture, grade, and color to match adjacent existing work. 6.3 The Contractor shall be responsible for security of the areas in which the work is being performed prior to completion. 6.4 Contractor shall provide floor protection while working in all VA facilities. All material handling equipment shall have rubber wheels. 7.1 The contractor shall provide a minimum one year manufacturer s warranty on all parts and labor. This warranty will begin upon opening of the SLVHCS Research building. 7.2 The warranty shall include all travel and shipping costs associated with any warranty repair. 8. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS 8.1 The Authorization & Accreditation (A&A) requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation B 2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE ITEM INFORMATION ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT 0001 12.00 EA __________________ __________________ Rat Place Preference & Multifunction Systems 0002 8.00 EA __________________ __________________ Mouse Place Preference & Multifunction System 0003 2.00 EA __________________ __________________ Mechanical conflict avoidance 0004 1.00 EA __________________ __________________ Behavioral monitoring system, Noldus multi maze GRAND TOTAL __________________
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/NOrVAMC/VAMCCO80220/36C25618Q9548/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: 36C25618Q9548 36C25618Q9548.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=4425936&FileName=36C25618Q9548-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=4425936&FileName=36C25618Q9548-000.docx

 

File Name: 36C25618Q9548 Justification and Approval Lab 43 Animal Behavior.pdf (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=4425937&FileName=36C25618Q9548-001.pdf)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=4425937&FileName=36C25618Q9548-001.pdf

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Veterans Affairs;Southeast Louisiana Veterans HCS;2400 Canal Street;New Orleans, La

Zip Code: 70119
 

Record

SN04966999-W 20180627/180625230759-ed7bc086c46a38bbbe418713a7def391 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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