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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 13, 2011 FBO #3337
SOURCES SOUGHT

65 -- Purchase and Installation of Four (4) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Systems

Notice Date

1/11/2011
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
 

ZIP Code

20892-7902
 

Solicitation Number

HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SBSS-CSB-HL-2011-069-KEC
 

Archive Date

2/9/2011
 

Point of Contact

Kristi Cooper, Phone: 301-435-6674
 

E-Mail Address

cooperke@mail.nih.gov
(cooperke@mail.nih.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) the type of small businesses, e.g., HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses, etc.; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED A SMALL BUSINESS UNDER THE APPLICABLE NAICS CODE SHOULD NOT SUBMIT A RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE. This Sources Sought notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NAICS code for this project is 334516. The small business size standard is 500 employees. Background Information/Purpose and Objectives The Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch (CPB) of the Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is one of the premier cardiovascular programs in the country that develops new methods for the study of cardiovascular disease and the application of image guided-therapies. Diagnostic methods and validations have spanned a wide range of applications including myocardial function, myocardial perfusion, viability assessment, angiography, and tissue characterization. The CPB is anticipating the purchase and installation of four (4) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Systems. The MRI systems shall support pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of cardiovascular diagnostic imaging, interventions, and study of novel interventional techniques in cardiovascular disease. Project Requirements A total of four new MRI systems shall be installed (turnkey installations) with different specifications and physical locations as specified below. 1. The four new MRI systems will be designated as follows: (a)NIH CARDIAC To be installed at the NIH Clinical Center (currently 1.5T Siemens Magnetom AVANTO) (b)NIH SUBURBAN To be installed at Suburban Hospital, Bethesda, MD (currently 1.5T Siemens Magnetom ESPREE) (c)NIH INTERVENTIONAL Interventional system to be installed at the NIH Clinical Center (currently 1.5T Siemens Magnetom ESPREE) (d)NIH Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC) Interventional system to be installed at Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC. (new installation in empty bay) Additionally, the Contractor shall train staff in any hardware and software that will be required for routine operation of the systems. Pulse sequence and reconstruction programming training shall also be provided for staff involved in methods development. These new systems shall replace 5 existing MRI systems 2. Existing (trade-in) systems Five existing systems will be traded in as part of this project. The existing systems are: a)Two Siemens Magnetom 1.5T AVANTO (32 receive channels) in operation at the NIH Clinical Center b)One Siemens Magnetom ESPREE (32 receive channels) in operation at the NIH Clinical Center c)One Siemens Magnetom ESPREE (32 receive channels) in storage d)One Siemens Magnetom ESPREE (32 receive channels) in operation at Suburban Hospital, Bethesda, MD. 3. General Considerations and Systems Performance All MRI systems must be capable of collection state-of-the-art images of the human heart and peripheral vasculature. All must feature a wide bore (70cm) for improved patient comfort and at least 48 receive channels (as described below). Additionally, all system must have an option for multiple radiofrequency transmission channels (as indicated below) either at the time of installation or as an upgrade option in the future. The software platform for all systems should be open such that pulse sequences and image reconstruction software can be modified by the on-site investigators. For the two interventional systems (NIH INTERVENTIONAL, NIH CNMC) it must be possible to transfer patients from an adjacent bi-plane X-ray fluoroscopy to the MRI systems and back (see below). 4. Magnet and Field Strength Magnets must have a minimum 70 cm bore diameter for both 1.5 and 3T. A zero helium boil-off magnet is preferred. 5. Gradients The systems must be able to provide a gradient strength of minimum 45 mT/m along each gradient axis independently. A minimum slew rate of 200 T/m/s along each gradient axis (independently) is required. 6. Radiofrequency Receiver System & Coils All systems must feature at least 48 receiver channels with potential for upgrade to more channels. The system must feature surface coil arrays suitable for parallel imaging in cardiac and abdominal imaging applications. 7. Radiofrequency Transmit System A multi channel transmit option must be available for all systems either at the time of installation or as a later upgrade. 8. Gating and physiological monitoring The Offerer shall provide a capability for physiological gating and monitoring including vector ECG, respiratory, and pulse-oximetry. Physiological monitoring shall use wireless technology. Additionally, the system shall be capable of gating using an external triggering signal. 9. Image Reconstruction Systems The image reconstruction system must be capable of reconstructing images in real-time when acquiring parallel imaging data. Specifically, the system must be able to perform reconstruction of 2D parallel imaging data (matrix size 256, acceleration factor 2-4) acquired with 32 receive coils at a frame rate of at least 15 frames per second. The reconstruction hardware must feature a minimum of 32 GB RAM and a 64 bit multiprocessor system (8 cores minimum). The reconstruction system must be programmable by the on-site investigators. 10. Software Software packages shall be state-of-the-art sequence and reconstruction packages to enable cardiovascular and interventional imaging. The systems must be fully programmable such the end users and investigators can modify sequences and reconstruction software. 11. Analysis workstations Image analysis is currently performed using software tools provided on the Siemens LEONARDO workstations. NHLBI currently has a total of 12 workstations in various locations on the NIH and SUBURBAN campuses. Compatibility of the new systems must be ensured with the current analysis workstations, or propose an alternative solution which could be in form of a centralized server. 12. External network interfaces The MRI systems must be able to connect to modern PACS systems for image transfer. Systems with HL7 interfacing capabilities will be preferred. It must be possible to connect to the systems with a “remote desktop” type client and remote control the systems. This is especially important for remote support of the systems installed off the NIH campus (NIH SUBURBAN, NIH CNMC). 13. Special Requirements for interventional systems Special requirements for the interventional systems (NIH INTERVENTIONAL, NIH CNMC) are as follows: Installation will be linked to an adjacent bi-plane X-ray system, constituting a combined X-ray/MRI (XMR) suite. A system for transferring patients from the X-ray system to the MRI scanner and back, in a seamless and expeditious manner will be required. Components of the patient transfer that will be subject to x-ray must be radiolucent and must not interfere with MRI. The MRI systems will be separated from the X-ray system with a set of RF shielded sliding doors. The interventional systems shall have a moving table MRI capability to allow scanning as the table is moved. The MRI hemodynamic system should interface with a commercial X-ray hemodynamic recording system. 14. Multinuclear A multinuclear capability shall be provided as an option for the 3T systems. The contractor (or subcontractor) shall design and perform all related renovations including, but not limited to, necessary repair/replacement of walls, flooring, ceiling, radiofrequency shielding, electrical and mechanical systems and other facility related changes in order to accommodate the new MRI systems. In addition, the contractor shall remove the existing MRI systems which will be used as “trade-ins” toward the purchase of the 4 MRI systems. The renovations and installations shall be staged to minimize disruption to clinical services. 15. Training The contractor shall provide on-site training in the use of any hardware and software needed for routine operation of the installed systems. Training must be provided for on-site developers in the use of the pulse sequence and reconstruction development environment. 16. Warranty of MRI Systems During the warranty period, the contractor shall provide upgrades in accordance with industry standards. 17. Maintenance of MRI Systems The contractor must provide on-site maintenance service for the 4 MRI Systems. The on-site service is required to ensure the MRI Systems are operable. The systems must be operational according to manufacturer specifications with high predictability and reliability to support clinical care and experiments and non-clinical experiments. These systems will be in heavy use, and any system unavailability (“downtime”) will impact a wide range of complex patient care and investigational studies. 18. Research Requirements The system is to be used for clinical and preclinical research. Access to additional information is critical to the success of this program and mandatory for award of this contract. NHLBI is willing to assure confidentiality of this information to the contractor, or to enter into a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for research development of features dependent on this functionality. The Investigators will need to modify existing sequences and develop new sequence and reconstruction components. The contractor must provide tools for pulse sequence and reconstruction programming. Specifically, source code for any sequences installed on the systems must be provided upon request. To be deemed capable, your organization must submit a written capability statement. Organizations that submit capability statements in response to this notice will be evaluated against the following technical areas: 1.Ability to deliver four MRI Systems with 1.5T field strength with options for 3.0T system for (a) NIH CARDIAC, (b) NIH SUBURBAN, NIH INTERVENTIONAL and NIH CNMC (independent options). 2.Advanced capabilities that include cardiac surface coil arrays, pediatric surface coil arrays, options for parallel transmit, and integration with X-ray system (for interventional systems) and patient transfer 3. Research Support to allow access to source code for sequences and reconstruction and capabilities of mechanisms for obtaining documentation and support in connection with sequence and reconstruction development. 4.Installation, maintenance, training - Ability to provide suitable turnkey installation of the 4 systems, including removal of the existing 5 MRI systems. Adequacy of plans for comprehensive maintenance including ongoing upgrades, on-site service during business days, and ongoing maintenance renewable annually for at least 10 years including the initial 12 month warranty period. Experience in providing training in the use of the MRI Systems. Experience in managing subcontracts, if proposed. Anticipated Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance for this award is July 29, 2011 to July 28, 2016. Capability Statement/Information Sought: Small businesses that believe that they have the ability to satisfy all of the above stated Project Requirements, and who meet the stated size standard, are encouraged to submit a capability statement. The capability statements will be evaluated based on the information provided in relation to the Project Requirements and the current capacity to perform the work including: a) method and approach; b) staff availability, experience, and training; c) prior completed projects of a similar nature; and d) corporate experience and management capabilities. On the first page of the capability statement, clearly state the small business concern’s size status and type(s), name, address, point of contact, and DUNS number. The remainder of the capability statement should be tailored to the project requirements stated above and must demonstrate that similar work has been performed in the past, including the dollar value of that work. Information Submission Instructions: All capability statements sent in response to this SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Kristiane E. Cooper, Contracting Officer, at cooperke@mail.nih.gov, in either MS Word, WordPerfect or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by 3:00pm Eastern time on January 25, 2011. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. ANY RESPONSES RECEIVED AFTER THE SPECIFIED DATA AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Capability statements should not exceed fifteen (15), single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.), presented in single-spaced, 12-point font size minimum. Disclaimer: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SBSS-CSB-HL-2011-069-KEC/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Maryland); Suburban Hospital (Bethesda, Maryland); Children's National Medical Center (Washington DC)., Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Zip Code: 20892
 

Record

SN02358452-W 20110113/110111234531-4e876843bb81335bea6b3db3eca24cc2 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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