Contract Management Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Federal Building, Room 901, 7550 Wisconsin Avenue, MSC 9190, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9190

A -- INSULATING BIOMATERIALS SOL NIH-NINDS-99-04 DUE 030599 POC Laurie A. Leonard, 301-496-1813, Kirkland L. Davis, 301-496-9203 WEB: Click here to download a copy of the RFP after 1/5/99., http://www.ninds.nih.gov/cmb. E-MAIL: Contracting Officer e-mail, ll44s@nih.gov. The Neural Prosthesis Program (NPP) of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health, supports the development and evaluation of biomaterials for implanted neural prostheses. Insulating biomaterials, designed to insulate recording and stimulating microelectrodes, connections between micorelectrodes and implanted integrated circuit devices, and associated cables and telemetry systems, remain a critical need at this time. The goals of this work are to develop biomaterials for the long-term electrical insulation of implanted neural prostheses and to develop an in-vivo test system to permit study of insulating biomaterials for neural prostheses in animals. In-vitro and in-vivo studies will be conducted. In-vivo studies of thin-films of the silicone and fluoropolymer insulating materials indicate that they can provide insulation of wires and/or micromachined silicon microdevices at greater than 10,000 megohms for periods of greater than 6 months. Studies for longer periods in animals have not been possible because of failures of the test assembly not related to the biomaterial under test. An implantable test system for monitoring insulation current leakage that permits continuous electrical bias of test devices implanted in the CNS and that operates essentially indefinitely is needed to demonstrate the reliability of, or determine the failure modes of, these implanted materials. Personnel with established expertise in bioengineering, biomaterials, and microelectronics will be needed to perform this research.. It is anticipated that one award will be made for a period of three years in September 1999. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). THE SOLICITATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY ONLY. It will be available at this website (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/cmb) 15 or more calendar days after the issuance of this synopsis. OFFERORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTINELY CHECKING THIS WEBSITE FOR ANY POSSIBLE SOLICITATION AMENDMENTS THAT MAY BE ISSUED. NO INDIVIDUAL NOTIFICATION OF ANY AMENDMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the agency. Refer to numbered Note 26.**** Posted 12/10/98 (W-SN278964). (0344)

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