SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Super Resolution Imaging System for imaging capability of live and fixed cells and tissues for the National Institute of Aging (NIA)
- Notice Date
- 7/29/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SBSS-2015-675
- Archive Date
- 8/20/2015
- Point of Contact
- Hunter A. Tjugum, Phone: 301 435 8780
- E-Mail Address
-
hunter.tjugum@nih.gov
(hunter.tjugum@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- INTRODUCTION This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; 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; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a small business social-economic set-aside, competitive or non-competitive method is possible, and to determine the availability of all qualified small business companies technically capable of meeting the Government's requirement. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. NORTH AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The NAICS code applicable to this requirement is 334516-Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with associated small business size standard of 500 employees. BACKGROUND The Intramural Research Program (IRP) in the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is comprised of nine scientific laboratories, the Translational Gerontology Branch, and ten core facilities. The research program has three main focus areas: Neuroscience, Aging Biology and Translational Gerontology. IRP scientists conduct research in many different disciplines that range from basic science to clinical research and epidemiology. Medical problems, which typically affect older persons, are studied in depth using the tools of modern laboratory and clinical research, with a translational perspective. The central focus of our research is understanding age-related changes in physiology and the ability to adapt to environmental stress. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose and objectives of this potential requirement is for the Confocal Imaging Facility (CIF) in the IRP to obtain a Super Resolution imaging Structured Illumination Microscope (SIM) system that will provide state-of-the-art super-resolution imaging capability of lived and fixed cells and tissues. These abilities are currently unavailable at the NIA IRP and are sought to greatly enhance imaging quality and data in the research programs of the NIA IRP for super-resolution imaging of cells and tissue up to 30 µm thick for 3-D reconstruction and rapid (30-100 fps) acquisition of super-resolution images in live cells in real time. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS The salient characteristics needed to be achieved for this potential government requirement is described in the following technical specifications. Image resolution by light microscopy (the minimum distance between two distinguishable elements) is limited by the diffraction of light-the spread of light from a point source to a detector. The practical consequence is a resolution barrier that limits the ability of confocal and widefield microscopes to resolve sub-cellular structures. The CIF is interested in obtaining a super resolution microscope that offers improved resolution beyond this limitation and permits a delineation of structures and cellular phenomena not possible with more traditional commonly used microscopes. For example, the investigation of subcellular structures such as mitochondria, nerve synapses and intra-nuclear structures is not possible with the imaging equipment currently at the NIA IRP. In addition, the high speed acquisition of super-resolution data, at up to 100 fps, will facilitate live imaging of cellular phenomena such as exosome shedding. The salient characteristic sougth to be obtained is a super-resolution system that can image at the rate of 100 fps. This potential requirement seeks to obtain an imaging system with an array optic that enables parallel processing of emitted photons and creates an OPTICAL super-resolution image with no computation necessary. Offerors to this Small Business Sources Sought shall include identifying essential features of any solution for achieving the salient characteristics to meet this potential requirement. Offerors to this Small Business Sources Sought shall have the ability to deliver the subject requirement FOB destination to a government facility located in Baltimore, MD. CAPABILITY STATEMENT / INFORMATION SOUGHT Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each element of the project requirements stated in this announcement and any other information sought herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to fifteen (15) page limit. The 15-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if included. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted electronically to Mr. Hunter Tjugum, at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov prior to the closing date and time specified in this announcement. All correspondence MUST reference the solicitation number in any transmittal. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS Disclaimer and Important Notes. 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
-
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