SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Replacement Rodent Caging for NIAAA DICBR Program of Animal Care and Use
- Notice Date
- 7/9/2021 10:34:25 AM
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 332313
— Plate Work Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NICHD BETHESDA MD 20817 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20817
- Solicitation Number
- NICHD-21-179
- Response Due
- 7/26/2021 2:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 07/30/2021
- Point of Contact
- Jacob Balenson, Phone: 3018278302
- E-Mail Address
-
jacob.balenson@nih.gov
(jacob.balenson@nih.gov)
- Description
- INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION. The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD)� intends to award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition to TECNIPLAST USA INC., for mouse rack and caging equipment. BACKGROUND The research animals maintained within the NIAAA Fishers Lane Animal Center (FLAC) are housed in individually ventilated cages (IVCs). The caging systems are specifically designed and constructed for housing laboratory animals in disease free conditions by individually ventilating each cage with HEPA filtered air. The cages are made of special synthetic plastics that allows them to be disinfected with chemicals at very high temperatures and also able to withstand sterilization by steam autoclaving. JUSTIFICATION In order to avoid uncontrolled variables and inconsistent/unwanted results and to achieve comparable results obtained in continued and ongoing research and behavioral tests performed on approved Animal Study Protocols the past 15+ years, the same equipment and caging must continue to be used to obtain consistent and reliable results in order to achieve the same concept learned from previous experiences using the same equipment in order to be able to compare outcomes. All current caging and equipment used to house mice in the FLAC are manufactured by Tecniplast USA Inc., new caging equipment ordered must be compatible with existing model 1145T cages, Top Flow Filter Tops and wire bar lids as well as with any of the 36 existing ventilated animal holding racks (model 2T162MAC30CA and 2T81MAC30CA) and air handling units in use in the FLAC. Cages must be 14.53� (L) X 6.142� (W) X 5.197� (H) with a floor area on 67.43 square inches. The specific Tecniplast USA Inc. brand caging, equipment, and accessories needed have been previously used for our animal research conducted in the NIAAA DICBR Program of Animal Care and Use since 2004 and meet the requirements above. Replacement parts must be compatible with current equipment. Animal research protocols and behavioral testing outcomes would greatly be affected if we were to switch to alternative brand caging and equipment. A change in caging and equipment would impact our program goals and resources, and be a source for a great number of variables for the future studies conducted at NIAAA, to include: Different cage dimensions/shape impact animal behavior. Different cage design would change the living environment of the animals within the cage to include changes to the air exchange rates and air flow dynamics within the cage. Changes in noise and vibration levels of the AHU (Air Handling Unit) attached to the ventilated rack will affect the microenvironment of the animals. Different caging types would alter the established research paradigms and outcomes and seriously hinder the ability to perform established animal study protocols. New caging will not allow the animal program to continue to use existing customized caging components designed in conjunction with the current caging systems that were developed for special behavioral studies. Including a large number of cage bottoms altered to affix external glass feeders to accommodate liquid diet studies; filter tops designed to accommodate two external bottles for use in preference testing; existing cage dividers, wire bar lids and filter tops for divided cages used in several behavior testing paradigms and multiple studies where food or liquid diet is measured, and post-surgery and clinical cases. Changes in caging would add a great number of logistical concerns for the animal facility as the new caging and equipment would not be compatible with existing operations. Alternative caging may not be interchangeable with the current cages and equipment used to house the animals in the three floors of the Fishers Lane Animal Center. Animal holding rooms would need to be reconfigured to accommodate the different racks, and since caging would not be interchangeable it would require the animal facility to maintain a separate stock of cages, wire bar lids, filter tops, water bottles, card holders and ventilated rack motors for change out. A second type of caging system would require additional space needed to store swing racks and additional caging and equipment for change out to accommodate for cage changes and rack sanitation. In addition all new material handling and bottle baskets and racks etc would need to be purchased to accommodate the different equipment. This would create a major storage shortage and require the purchase of additional costly material handling equipment and cause an increase in rent to accommodate the additional square footage needed to store and maintain the different type of change out equipment. A change in ventilated air handling systems for the racks would require a rebalance of supply and exhuast air throughout the animal facility to ensure sufficient exhaust from air handling equipment connected to the animal holding racks and to ensure buildings ability to handle different heat loads from motors running 24/7. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 332313 of with a Size Standard of 750. REGULATORY AUTHORITY The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Circular (FAC) 2021-05 effective 3-10-2021.� This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($250,000) and FAR Subpart 12- Acquisition of Commercial Items. STATUTORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR Subpart 6.302- FAR 6.302-1�Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE 5625 FISHERS LN RM 2S-08A ROCKVILLE, MD 20852 United States DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT Additional mouse rack with caging equipment to replace existing broken or worn-out components of existing ventilated caging systems used within the Fishers Lane Animal Center. Cages must be 14.53� (L) X 6.142� (W) X 5.197� (H) with a floor area on 67.43 square inches and be compatible with current equipment. CLOSING STATEMENT This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability in response to this notice and may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. 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 to this notice shall be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, on July, 26th, 2021 to jacob.balenson@nih.gov and shall include solicitation # NICHD-21-179�in the subject line. NOTE TO CONTRACTOR: The contractor shall provide a completed copy of FAR 52.204-24, ""Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment"" with their quote in response to this solicitation.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/ea0dcf97beb740108bbebb2453781777/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Rockville, MD 20852, USA
- Zip Code: 20852
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20852
- Record
- SN06056931-F 20210711/210709230118 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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