National Cancer Institute, Research Contracts Branch, PSCS, 6120 Executive Blvd, Eps/room 638, Bethesda, MD 20892-7227

66 -- ELECTRONIC PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE (EPR) MAGNETIC/GRADIENT COIL SYSTEM SOL RFQ-70150-NV POC Debbie Moore, Purchasing Agent 301/402-4509, Trish Haun, Contracting Officer 301/402-4509 This is a combined sole source synopsis/solicitation for Commercial Items (CI) prepared in accordance with the format in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through FAR Circular 90-46. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested offerors may identify their interest and capability to meet the Government requirement by submitting a capability statement which must contain sufficient information and detail to determine if the type of products proposed meets the Government's needs. All capability statements must be received with in 20 days after the date of publication, close of business (5:00PM) EST. The National Cancer Institute proposes to issue RFQ-70150-NV to Resonance Research Inc.(RRI), 10 Cook Street, Pinehurst Business Park, Billerica, MA, 01821, for an Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Magnetic/Gradient Coil System Background: The Radiation Biology Branch (RRB), National Cancer Institute (NCI), over the past four years has been developing a completely new approach to magnetic resonance imaging to obtain physiologic information in addition to anatomical information in three dimensions. The technique involves low frequency, pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to detect and image novel stable free radical contrast agents. The project holds the promise of introducing a rapid and high resolution approach to physiological imaging in clinical medicine. A major advantage of this type of imaging will be the ability to determine the oxygenation status of tissue (in three dimensions) in near real-time. This can be important to cancer treatment (to determine the oxygenation status of tumors) as well as determination of oxygen status in cardiac and brain tissue. Dependent on the contrast agent, blood vessel morphology can also be accurately determined. The resolution of this type of imaging is estimated to be approximately 0.1 mm. The current system is comprised of the following: 1) The Radio-frequency (RF) Transmitter/Receiver circuitry; 2) Resonators to house the animals, deposit the RF power and receive the resonance signals; 3) A digital signal processing system (Digitizer/averager) to enhance the signals and minimize the noise; 4) Magnets to provide the resonance conditions and gradient coils to spatially encode the signals which can be processed to reconstruct the images; 5) Computers to store the signals and process the data and 6) Software for image reconstruction. Since 1991, RBB has put in considerable efforts to build an imaging pulsed RF EPR spectrometer. Specifically Items 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 were the aspects where RBB concentrated. The developments included RF Gate switches with nanosecond resolution; transmit circuitry, which can deliver at least 200W power at 300 MHZ; transmit/receive switches which can stand this power and isolate the transmitter circuitry from the receiver circuitry with isolation better than 25 dB with switching times less than 100 ns; resonators which can provide the spectral band width (12 MHZ), deliver the RF power and ring down rapidly and receive the weak resonance signals; first stage amplifier with low noise, fast response and the data acquisition system which can digitize at a speed of 1 GHz and average at 500 MHZ. The software for data acquisition and image reconstruction was also developed by employees of RBB. The magnet/gradient coil assembly is an important component of the imaging system. The homogeneity of the main magnet and the gradient uniformity is a critical issue which decides the success of the experiment. The requirements of the magnet is to provide a homogenous magnetic field over the entire volume of the sample volume. The gradients should have active shielding to minimize the eddy currents and provide magnetic field gradients for imaging studies. The magnet was obtained from GMW(California) associates and the gradients from Resonance Research Inc. New Requirement: This was an effort which up to now took 4 years and the times of four people to reach a stage where the proof of principle of physiologic imaging in an animal model was obtained. Now the goal of RBB is to scale up the imaging system for large volume experiments ultimately to the size of a human head. While most of the issues as detailed in items 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are being addressed by RBB, it is necessary to procure item 4 with large volume capability. The requirements are provided below. Volume: The active volume is the volume in which the object to be imaged is housed. In this system, for the studies proposed, an active spherical volume of 15 cm 3 is necessary to adequately house laboratory animals such as mice or rats. The main magnet and the gradient coils should provide their respective fields over this volume. Main Magnet: The main magnetic field should have a homogeneity better than 300 parts per million (ppm). This is a requirement and the successful implementation of this magnetic field with the homogeneity decides the success of the experiment in terms of signal detection. Furthermore, the stability of the field as a function of time is a necessary condition for the spectrometer and should be provided. The main magnetic must provide a maximum field of 200 Gauss with the homogeneity already mentioned (300ppm). Furthermore field swept capabilities is essential to make the magnet imaging system for time domain EPR as well as CW EPR. The Z0 (main magnetic field) should be modulated at a frequency of 3 -- 10 kHz +/- 1 G. Gradient: To obtain spatial information, the gradients are required to spatially encode the signals. For a distortion free spatial encoding of the signals which can be used for image reconstruction, the gradient linearity is a critical issue to minimize any distortions in the image. We need a gradient uniformity of better than +/- 10 % over the activevolume at a strength of 5 G/cm. The gradient settling time must be < 100 msec for imaging applications for a true reflection of tissue metabolism as a function of time. The main magnetic must provide a maximum field of 200Gauss with the homogeneity already mentioned (300 ppm). It mandatory for the proposed large magnet/gradient coil assembly to be compatible with the existing transmit/receive circuitry. RRI has provided several pieces of equipment for this in-house development project over the past years, through various acquisitions. This required RBB to completely reconfigure its current infrastructure electronics and computational network. The ability to image free radicals in vivo necessitates homogeneous magnetics with large bore diameter and matched gradient coils with power amplifiers that will match its current electronic network. The electronic network is a "one of a kind" custom built infrastructure that will accommodate power amplifiers with up-times in the nanosecond range. It is imperative that any additional equipment comply with the existing equipment/environment. It is the Government's belief that only RRI can meet those requirements. Warranty shall be for a period of one (1) year, parts and labor. Delivery shall be FOB Destination, inside delivery within 90 days after receipt of order. This solicitation incorporates the provisions at FAR 52.212-1, INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS and at FAR 52.212-3, OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS. The latter provision includes the DUNS Number Addendum. The resulting contract will incorporate the requirements of the clause at FAR 52.212-4, CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS, and the requirements contained in paragraphs (a) and (d) of the clause at FAR 52.212-5, CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS -- DEVIATION FOR SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS. The contract will also incorporate certain clauses cited in paragraphs (b) and (c) of the clause at FAR 52.212-5. All capability statements submitted must include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3, OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS, with their offer. Offerors must submit a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3, OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS- COMMERCIAL ITEMS, with their offer. These representations and certifications must be sign by an authorized representative of the offeror. Full text copies of these representations and certifications or other cited provisions and clauses may be obtained from Debbie Moore, Purchasing Agent on (301)402-4509 or by fax on (301) 402-4513. Please cite the solicitation number on your proposal. No collect calls will be accepted. (0224)

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