The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cooling and Trapping Group is establishing an experimental research program on the manipulation of lipid membrane structures using optical tweezers for use as nanocontainers and nanofluidic channels. NIST intends to enter into a sole source purchase order with Dr. Shoshana Bar-Noy to provide immediate expertise in creation, manipulation, and stabilization of lipid bilayer membranes for use in the NIST optical tweezers apparatus. Dr. Bar-Noy is a highly trained biophysicist who has extensive experience with cellular, lipid bilayer membranes, as well as liposome formation and manipulation. The Contractor shall be responsible for creating both unilamellar and multilamellar lipid bilayer structures for manipulation in the NIST optical tweezers apparatus, developing methods to incorporate biomolecules of interest into the lipid bilayer structures, and facilitating the experiments to be performed with the NIST optical tweezers apparatus. In addition to preparation of samples to be used in the apparatus, facilitation of the experiments will require the contractor to make measurements with the apparatus, analyze data taken with the apparatus, and develop models which quantitatively describe the data. The Government anticipates the award of a firm-fixed price purchase order on or about September 1, 2002. The proposed requirement is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, the Government will consider all capability statements received by August 12, 2002. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. A Request for Quotation (RFQ) package is not available.

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