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 because 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 / Purpose / Objective: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), conducting research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders and stroke. The NINDS mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

The Animal Health Care Section (AHCS) of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is tasked with veterinary care, management and oversight. These animals are used by numerous NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) to carry out their research missions. The institutes and centers sharing in this research endeavor are:
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD)
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• National Eye Institute (NEI)
• National Institute on Aging (NIA)
• National Human Genome Research Institute
• National Center on Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Due to a projected increase in the number of cages occupied within the facility, NINDS ACHS requires additional racks, cages and ventilation fan units to house the expanding animal colonies.

Specifications: Mouse Racks, Cage Components and Ventilation Fan Units, NextGen 80 Cage IVC Mouse Racks and EcoFlo Tower manufactured by Allentown, Inc., 165 Route 526, Allentown, New Jersey 08501, Telephone number: 800-762-2243, email address: www.allentowninc.com. The mouse rack system include the following minimum specifications: (1) Rack dimensions: 82.33 x 67.81 x 24.50 inches (H x W x D); (2) Stainless steel rack construction, 304 stainless steel; (3) Dismantable horizontal airflow manifolds with tethered Exhaust/ Supply manifold caps; (4) Exhaust Plenums compatible with Sentinel EAD Colony Health Monitoring System; (5) Polysulfone cage support runners; (6) Integrated spring operated cage lock with docking indicator; (7) Ergonomic single finger motion docking with auto-locking feature; (8) Able to operate at positive or negative pressure relative to the room; (9) Supply and exhaust ventilation fans in free-standing tower configuration; (10) Ventilation unit dimensions: 59.97 x 16.00 x 24.75 inches (H x W x D); (11) Ventilation fan units automatically adjust for the number of cages currently on the IVC rack; (12) Ventilation fan units shall be equipped with EC motors specifically designed for low power consumption; (13) Ventilation units shall be equipped with Wi-Fi communication and shall be capable of communicating with the vivarium's existing Wi-Fi IVC monitoring system; (14) Ventilation units shall be equipped with temperature and humidity sensors in both supply and exhaust air paths; (15) Ventilation units shall provide for automatic filter load compensation; (16) Ventilation units shall provide differential pressure sensing capabilities; (17) Ventilation units shall include basic LED power and alarm lights and shall be monitored and controlled thru a Wi-Fi enabled tablet application; (18) HEPA-filtered (99.995%) supply and exhaust air circulated through the cages; (19) Supply air enters at the cage bottom, exhaust air exists thru the cage lid; (20) Cages and lids are made of high temperature polysulfone; (21) Silicone gaskets present in cage lids; (22) Racks on four 5" X 1.5" Stainless steel (304 grade) swivel plate retort casters, all with vertical locking brakes, stainless steel (304 grade) axles and nuts, and stainless steel (304 grade) precision bearings with zerk fittings and grease seals; (23) Swivel plate casters shall be equipped with polypropylene wheels capable of withstanding temperatures up to 290 degrees Fahrenheit without flat-spotting; (24) A minimum one (1) year warranty shall be provided for all material, fabrication, and workmanship; and (25) 100% compatible with existing mouse caging manufactured by Allentown, Inc.

Quantity: A minimum of 6 mouse racks, with sufficient cage components to fully outfit the racks and provide 25% extra for cage change-out, and 2 ventilation fan units are anticipated at the time of award. The award may also include the option to purchase additional quantities within 1-year after award. The additional quantities of not less than 3 racks and associated cage components plus 1 ventilation fan unit may be ordered during the base year, if funds are available. An option to extend the term of the contract for an additional four (4) 12-month periods are also anticipated, the additional quantities of not less than 3 racks and associated cage components plus 1 ventilation fan unit may be ordered during the option years if funds are available. It is estimated that as many as 26 additional racks, and associated cage components/change out equipment and up to 15 ventilation fan units will be needed during the option years. Due to the volatility of the prices and tariffs on raw materials used to fabricate this equipment, revised quotes will be obtained for each subsequent option year.

Options: Options for additional quantities are anticipated during the 12-month base period of performance and up to four (4) 12-month option period are also anticipated.

Anticipated period of performance / delivery date: The Government's anticipated delivery date is Delivery of the initial order of 120-150 days after receipt of order (ARO) of the duly executed purchase order and the Government's approval of the design plans.

Other important considerations: The response may cite any other information that is necessary for potential respondents to understand the nature of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition.

Capability statement /information sought. The respondents must submit clear and convincing evidence that their product is equivalent or superior to the brand-name specified in this notice. The response shall include: the unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s); product description; and any other information or factors that may be considered to determine the method of acquisition. The information must address each of the minimum specifications and the equivalent elements of the brand-name parts stated herein. The response must also indicate the country of manufacturer.

The response must also include 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.

The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

The response must be clear and concise 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, with single or double spacing, and limited to ten (10) pages (exclusive of the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested).

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to Debra C. Hawkins Contractor, Acquisition Policy Analyst II, at [email protected] on or before July 31, 2019, 12:00 PM. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

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 provide the product or perform the services specified herein.

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)."