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.

The solicitation number is HHS-NIH-NIDA-CSS-2018-564 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.

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-100, dated 08/22/2018.

The associated NAICS code 334516 and the small business size standard 1,000 employees. This requirement is full and open with no set-aside restrictions.

Statement of Need and Purpose: The purpose of this requirement is to procure 15 mm and a 25 mm radio frequency (rf) coil insert, and the quad combiner, necessary to improve the performance of the 25 mm quadrature coil insert, are add on accessories for the 14-Tesla (14-T) micro MRI system in the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Nuclear Magnetic Research Center's Mouse Imaging Facility.

Purchase Description: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Office of Acquisitions in support of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is seeking to purchase RF inserts for the AVANCE 600WB as follows.

Product Code     Product description                             Quantity
PH2511_1H       Single tunes 1H Quad coil 25 mm id           1
PH2532_1H       Single tuned 1H Linear coil, 15 mm id        1
PH2519             Quad combiner                                          1

Background Information and Objective: The inserts are an integral part of the rf coil repertoire that will fit an existing probe body there by improving the performance of the MR microscopic imaging capabilities of the scanner. In order to provide state of the art technology to those investigators and, to improve the image quality of ongoing studies, high performance rf coils are an absolute necessity. The 14 T scanner, that inherently yields better resolved MR images, is specially suitable for excised tissues that probes into microscopic details sought by a number of intramural investigators. Among the tissues investigated, rat and mice brains are the most extensively studied. The 15 mm and 25 mm rf coil inserts (and the quad combiner) is ideal to accommodate the said tissue and samples of similar diameters. The new acquisitions are expected to complement the existing rf hardware. Furthermore, any future purchases of inserts of different diameters will utilize the same common body thus be more economical. No re-structuring or alteration to any part of the probe is necessary.

Generic Name of Product: Radio Frequency coil inserts 15 mm diameter and 25 mm diameter and a quadrature combiner to integrate with the 25 mm insert.

Salient characteristics: The material or service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, and function) with existing systems presently installed. The current equipment is designed to conveniently insert to the hardware that WB40 probe body from Bruker Biospin with all correct connections for optimum performance. Products must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system by efficiently connecting to the probe body and the operating system to ensure that the inserts are optimized for maximum performance while interacting with common Bruker operational software.

Installation Requirements: None. Installation will be the Government's responsibility

Quantity: One (1) of each as specified in the Purchase Description above.

Warranty: 3-months

Delivery Schedule:
Delivery shall be 60 days after receipt of order to:
Bldg. 10 / Rm. B1D69
Mouse Imaging Facility
Nuclear Magnetic Research Center
National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
10 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892
FOB Point: Destination

The full text of FAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(a) The Government will award a firm fixed price purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to this solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government on the basis of lowest price, technically acceptable. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: In addition to price, the Government will award a contract on the basis of technical acceptability in accordance with the Salient Characteristics section of the Purchase Description, the vendor's ability to meet the required delivery schedule contained in the Delivery Date section, and the required warranty as indicated in the Warranty section of the Purchase Description contained in this combined synopsis/solicitation. Past performance shall also be considered.

(b) 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.

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

The FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference.

FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference. The following clauses listed in FAR clause 52.212-5 that are applicable to the acquisition are:

52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2016)
52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003)
52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2018)
52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015)
52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016)
52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities (Jul 2014)
52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Mar 2015)
52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011)
52.225-1 Buy American - Supplies (May 2014)
52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008)
52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award Management (Jul. 2013)

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:

FAR 52.246-17 Warranty of Supplies of a Noncomplex Nature (June 2003)

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

Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: 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 in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance; special features required for effective program performance; trade-in considerations; probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item; warranty considerations; maintenance availability; and environmental and energy efficiency considerations.

Respondents proposing on an equal product of the brand-name product specified in this announcement must provide, as part of their response: (a) product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s); (b) product description; (c) all relevant information and documentation that the item(s) offered meets the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics as specified in the purchase description; quantity; estimated price or cost; shipping, handling, and/or installation charges; and delivery date after receipt of order.

In addition 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 responses must be received by 09/24/2018, 09:00 A.M., Eastern Standard Time, and reference RFQ number HHS-NIH-NIDA-CSS-2018-564. Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f). Responses shall be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist at [email protected].

Fax responses will not be accepted.

Point of Contact: Rieka Plugge, Contract Specislist, (301) 827-7515, [email protected]

Bid Protests Not Available