NON-COMPETITIVE

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

Title: Experimental Neuroscientist Services for Molecular and Pathophysiological Studies of Parkinson’s disease Dementia

 (i)        This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii)        The solicitation number is 75N95021Q00063 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ).  

This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

THIS IS A NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Office of Acquisition (OA), on behalf of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name) to HAWES, SARAH L, 12231 Saint James Road, Potomac, MD 20854 for experimental neuroscientist services.

This acquisition is conducted as non-competitive for a commercial item or service and is conducted pursuant to FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).

(iii)       The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2021-04, with effective date January 19, 2021.

(iv)       The associated NAICS code 541715 and the small business size standard 1,000.  

(v)        This requirement is for the following services:

The National Institute on Aging requires senior neuroscientist services for the live imaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral studies of mouse models resembling key clinical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). The neuroscientist will apply advanced sophisticated modern neuroscience experimental techniques, including – but not limited to – live imaging of neuronal activity in behaving mice with miniScope or fiber photometry, stereotactic injections and mouse survival surgery, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscope, and mouse behavioral testing. This work requires familiarity with MATLAB for data analyses. The neuroscientist will play an important role in assisting manuscript preparation and research training of other team members.

In keeping with the general requirements above, the contractor will:

• Conduct full-time, independent research relating to the pathophysiological mechanisms of PDD, guided by the point of contact (Dr. Huaibin Cai) for 30 hours per week.
• Provide project updates weekly and ongoing. Data communication is essential in this role both for presenting projects to other scientists and journals but as well as internal oversight and project development. Ongoing project updates will account for roughly 2 hours per week and include time for meetings, presentations, manuscript drafting and revision. This will also help ensure that the scope of work and general requirements is being adequately fulfilled in a timely manner.
• Teach other team members crucial research skills for about 3 hours per week.
• Support LNG’s mission to share the results with the broader scientific community by uploading data to the respective data repositories.
  The senior neuroscientist must have a doctoral degree with three or more years' postdoctoral training in neuroscience or a life science field. The neuroscientist is expected to be an expert in live imaging techniques in behaving mice, electrophysiology and neuroanatomy. Previous experience with basal ganglion physiology is a plus. 

For additional information, please refer to the attached document titled, “Statement of Work (Services)”.

(vii)      The Government anticipates award of a firm-fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition and the anticipated period of performance is one twelve-month base period of performance followed by one twelve-month optional period. 

(viii)     The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses:  https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far   https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html   

(End of provision)

The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)
• FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Jun 2020)
• FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Jan 2021)
• HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015)

The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses:

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far     https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html  

(End of clause)

The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020)
• FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999)
• FAR 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)
• HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015)
   
  The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text:
• FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (Jan 2021)
• NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (2/2014)
• Instructions for Submitting Electronic Invoices via Email to the NIH Office of Financial Management (OFM) Effective April 23, 2020 (Updated October 30, 2020)

(ix)       The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

(x)        The Offeror is to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer.

(xi)       The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(xii)      The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is attached in full text.

(xiii)     The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions as determined by the contracting officer are necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices. There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition.

(xiv)     The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.

Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the offeror’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the technical evaluation criteria. The price proposal must include the labor categories, an estimate of the number of hours required for each labor category, fully loaded fixed hourly rate, rationale for other direct costs or materials, if applicable, and the total amount.

The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All quotations must be received by 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, on Friday, February 12, 2021, and must reference Solicitation Number 75N95021Q00063.  Responses must be submitted electronically to Renee Dougherty, Contracting Officer, at [email protected].

Fax responses will not be accepted.

(xvi)     The name and telephone number of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation: Renee Dougherty, Contracting Officer, 301-827-8453, or email at [email protected].