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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.
Background: The NINDS Laboratory of Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signaling (LCSMS), will employ one line of research involving extracellular electrophysiological recordings (local field potentials, multiunit activity, and single spikes) from freely-moving or head-fixed mice. In some experiments, recordings will be made from unrestrained mice as they are trained or tested in standard mouse enclosures and mazes (e.g., fear conditioning box, T-maze, zero maze, open field maze) used to investigate fear, anxiety, perseveration, and other behavioral states and responses. In other experiments, recordings will be made from head-fixed mice as they navigate virtual reality environments (e.g., the Virtual Reality JetBall-Dome system from Phenosys). In both cases, a high channel count (96+) is desired. Also important is that the systems be flexible enough that optogenetic stimulation may be added if required by the future needs of the LCSMS. The systems must be complete, incorporating not only all components (hardware and software) for data acquisition but also those for data analysis (e.g., spike sorting).
Purpose and Objectives: The NINDS will soon establish the Laboratory of Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signaling (LCSMS), which will be led by the new Scientific Director. The LCSMS will study fundamental issues of synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, neuromodulation, and neural circuit activity using animal models (principally, the mouse). These issues will be related to human neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative disorders, and will be explored in brain areas including (but not limited to) the amygdala, basal forebrain cholinergic areas, the ventral hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex.
Project requirements: The NINDS LCSMS requires two complete, state-of-the-art extracellular electrophysiological recording systems, including both acquisition and analysis components. One system (96 channels) will be used with freely-moving mice and requires a motorized commutator. The other system (128 channels) will be used with head-fixed mice and does not require a commutator. Both systems must be capable of recording local field potentials, multiunit activity, and/or single units from standard electrodes typically used with mice (e.g., tetrodes with 1 MΩ impedance measured at 1 kHz). It must be possible to add optogenetic stimulation to both systems at a future date.
System 1
• Data acquisition system must be able to record at least 96 channels at high sampling rate (≥ 30 kHz) with 16-bit precision (15 ENOB).
• System should be rack-mountable (standard 19" relay rack) and include analog inputs, digital inputs, and analog outputs to integrate the system with other experimental apparatuses.
• Digital headstage(s) must be included that are compact, lightweight (~1 g), and able through multiplexing to transfer data from all 96 channels at 30 kHz. Headstage(s) should include 3D motion sensing.
• Acquisition system, including headstages, must be able to support a wide range of recording types (local field potentials, multiunit activity, single units) and electrodes (impedances: 0.1 - 3 MΩ).
• Headstage amplifier should have built-in impedance measurement capability.
• All computers, cables, and other electronics and hardware components must be included. The computer must be high-end: Intel i7 processor or equivalent, solid-state drive 250 GB or more, graphics card GeForce GTX 750 or better.
• The mice will be freely moving, necessitating both a flexible tether and a motorized commutator suitable for use with mice.
• It should be possible easily to expand the system in the future to include simultaneous optogenetic stimulation.
• A complete software package for acquisition and analysis must be provided. The software must include intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
• It must be possible to integrate the data acquisition system with other experimental components through analog and/or digital inputs.
• Automated and manual spike sorting using multiple tetrodes and multiple algorithms (e.g., principal components analysis) must be included in the software.
• Software must include adaptive synchronous noise cancellation (line and/or external signals).
• It must be possible through software to choose an electrode to serve as a reference for other electrodes.
• Software should include a 2-channel digital oscilloscope and the capability to monitor signal-to-noise.
• It should be possible easily to export the data for analysis by other software, including open-source software like WaveClust and MClust.
• An interface and software development kit for online and/or offline analysis using a commonly-used language like Matlab or Python should be provided.
• The software must include digital filters.
• The software must include an experimental playback tool for offline visualization, spike sorting, and analysis.
System 2
The other system will be used with head-fixed mice navigating a virtual reality environment. It must meet all of the specifications of System 1, but with the following modifications:
• The data acquisition should be capable of recording simultaneously from 128 channels rather than 96.
• No commutator is required because the animals will be head fixed.
• The digital headstages may be heavier (up to 6 g) and less compact than those for System 1, as the animal will not be freely moving or bearing the entire weight. Nor is 3D motion sensing required.
Anticipated period of performance: The contractor shall deliver and install the equipment within 45 days after receipt of order. Delivery must be FOB destination and include inside delivery. On-site training must take place within two (2) weeks of equipment installation. The equipment shall be delivered and installed between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00 pm, Bethesda, MD local prevailing time. The contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician to perform setup, installation, and an on-site 1-day training session for 10 staff members.
Other important considerations: Contractor shall warrant that the Equipment will be free from material defects for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of acceptance. All service performed on this equipment shall be provided by certified and factory trained technicians. Technicians shall have the ability to diagnose the systems on site via remote access. Contractor shall provide any required replacement components due to malfunctions on-site.
Capability statement /information sought. Clearly indicate whether respondents must provide, as part of their responses, a capability statement, "white paper," answers to questions/issues, etc. This may include requests for:
• respondents' opinions about the difficulty and/or feasibility of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition, possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace, and information regarding innovative ideas or concepts;
• information regarding respondents': (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information;
• general information regarding the respondent's estimate or rough order of magnitude of the effort or time that may be required for completion of the work. (NOTE: This type of information may only be requested as part of an RFI. However, care must be exercised in requesting such information. Information requested must be: (a) necessary; (b) broad in scope; and (c) used for planning purposes only. Detailed estimates must not be requested.);
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 must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.
The response is limited to ten (10) page limit. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.
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 to Andrea King at e-mail address [email protected].
The response must be received on or before 14 March 2019 by 10AM EST.
"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 presolicitation 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)."